Irrationally speaking
by aigneadh
Summary: Booth is arrested for murder and all the evidence points into his direction. Brennan is off the case because of conflict of interest, and while the team has to prove Booth's guilt, she searches help to prove his innocence.
1. Makes sense

**Disclaimer:** No matter how much I wished I did, I do not own Bones.

_1. Makes sense_

"I can't understand anyone could do this!"

Booth said shocked while he looked down to the pregnant women in front of him, into the three uncovered graves. It was 7 PM, dark, cold and raining. Booth and Brennan were just sharing some thai in her office when they had gotten the call. Construction workers had uncovered three shallow graves, all three revealing the corpses of three women. Three pregnant women. The moment they arrived at the scene Booth had taken one look at the victims before he had turned around and went to interrogate the construction workers. Brennan had put up her brave face, compartmentalized the situation and had gone to work.

Normally this was Cams work. The victims probably hadn't been dead long yet, because there wasn't any sign of decomposition. But Cam was on a movies night with Michelle and no one could reach her. So Brennan had tagged along, thinking she as well as anyone else could do the primary investigation.

She knelt down beside the first grave.

"First victim. Female, Caucasian, approximately 30 years old." She said out loud, although Booth wasn't in his normal spot, writing everything down she said. "And approximately six months pregnant." she sighed.

She agreed with Booth on this one. Who could do something like this?!

"Further investigation could give us the precise numbers. Probable cause of death, gunshot to the head. Cam will have to run a tox-screen though."

She got up and walked to the next grave. There she bent down again and started all over.

"Second victim. Female, Caucasian, approximately 34 years old, approximately eight months pregnant. COD, gunshot to the head."

She bent a little closer towards the victim's face. "The victim also seems to be wearing blue-colouring contact lenses."

She got up again and walked to the last victim.

"Third victim. Female, Caucasian, approximately 30 years old and approximately four months pregnant. COD, gunshot to the head."

She bent a little closer. "And…" she said while she touched the victim's hair "she's wearing a brown wig."

Brennan got up and looked at all three bodies again. "Booth." she called him.

He was just discussing the perimeter search with the local police force. "Yeah?" he asked while he walked towards her.

"All of these women look like each other." she stated. "The first one was pregnant, had blue eyes and brown curly hair. The second victim was pregnant, had blue contact lenses and brown curly hair. The third and last victim was pregnant, had blue eyes, and was wearing a brown curly wig."

"Great" Booth sighed. "A serial killer with taste."

He took a deep breath before he asked "How long do you think they are out here?"

"It's not my area of expertise, but I'd guess a week, maybe two. Hodgins will probably be able to narrow it down further."

"Agent Booth!" an agent of the local police force suddenly called. "We've found something."

Booth ran, together with the lab-people, to the place where the agent was standing. He was holding three slugs.

"Good job agent!" Booth said, slapping the man on the shoulder. "Let's hope they give us something. I want that send directly to the lab." He said to one of the techs. "I want those results first thing in the morning." "Yes agent Booth." The tech answered before rushing off.

While the other techs took pictures and soil samples and all the other necessary things, Booth walked back to Brennan.

"Found any ID's?" She shook her head. Booth took another look at the bodies, who were being prepared for transport to the Jeffersonian.

"But someone will definitely miss them Booth. I don't think ID'ing them will be the problem." Brennan said while she came to stand beside him. He nodded.

"Makes sense by the way. The fact he didn't keep their ID's. He wanted them to be someone else. Who they really were didn't matter anymore."

Booth shook his head. "Makes sense…" he disgustedly repeated his own words, while he turned around and headed back for the car.

**Okay people, reviews make me happy. And constructive criticism is always welcome, especially concerning language mistakes.**

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	2. Sleepless night

**Thanks for the reviews everyone, they made my day!**

**And, of course, a special thank you to my new Beta Saorsa, who is also writing a story at the moment. It's called 'Saorsa Fay'. Check it out!**

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own Bones, still sorry for it.

_2. Sleepless night_

The ride to her apartment was filled with silence. Not the comfortable silence that sometimes hung between them. A deadly silence, a silence she was not used to anymore, even while working among the dead.

She knew he was hurting. This case, cases like these always hurt him. He was a family man, a man of heart.

But she didn't dare to say anything out of fear she might only make things worse.

It was Booth who broke the silence. "I can't believe anyone could do that." he said again.

"That person…that monster killed six people. Three of them never had the opportunity to be happy, to make something of their lives…never had the chance to live."

He was silent again.

"I know Booth." she said while she put her hand over his on the gear-shift. He looked at her.

"We'll find him Booth. We always do."

Booth nodded. "Yeah." He sighed. "We'll get him."

The rest of the ride was clouded in silence once again.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------B&B-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When he stopped in front of her apartment she hesitated before getting out.

"You're sure you're alright?" she asked, her hand lingering on the door. She didn't like leaving him alone like this, hurting.

"Yeah Bones, I'm fine." he tried to assure her, failing miserably. "I really am."

"Okay." she said, not at all reassured, but she got out anyway. "See you tomorrow." she said while slamming the door shut.

"Yeah Bones."

She opened her door and walked in, only pausing for a second to wave at Booth, who was to lost in his own thoughts to wave back. After making sure the door was locked, she headed to her bedroom.

Three hours later she was still twisting and turning in her bed. No matter how hard she tried, sleep wouldn't claim her.

First she thought it was the case. Even for her, the rational one, the compartmentalizing one, it was a tough one. Everyone always thought she didn't care because she could compose herself, keep things professional. Only Booth and her team knew that was only on the outside. And only Booth knew, although she could not explain how, exactly how she was really feeling. Most of the time.

But that was not it at the moment. It took her a while before she realised she was just worried about Booth. He had looked pretty bad at the crime scene.

After another half our she finally got up. She didn't care to change. She just put on some shoes, a vest over her tank top and headed out.

That's how Temperance Brennan ended up at Booth's front door at two in the morning.

She silently knocked once. 'This was stupid. He was probably asleep.' She thought to herself.

Although…was that the television she heard? She knocked again. "Booth!" Another knock and she heard stumbling inside.

A few seconds later his door opened. And there he was.

Special Agent Seeley Booth in nothing but sweats.

She realised she had been staring at his chest, his well sculptured chest, when he said her name a second time, now touching her shoulder and looking worried.

"Bones, what's wrong?" he asked alarmed.

"Nothing." she said, finally taking her eyes of his body and staring into his eyes. "I couldn't sleep."

He just looked at her.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" she asked.

"No." he answered softly while stepping aside so she could come in. "I couldn't sleep either."

"I thought so." she said while walking down to his living room. His FBI-ID and gun were lying on the coffee table.

She looked at the television and just saw the closing credits of a movie.

"I was just going to watch another one. Care to join?" He asked while he walked to the DVD-player and put another disc in.

"Sure." she answered while she sat down on the couch. She kicked her shoes of and curled her legs underneath her.

"You're always complaining I should watch more TV, so we should get some use out of this insomnia."

He smiled his crooked smile before he sat down beside her. "Ow you're going to love this one!"

"What is it?" she asked curious while she picked up the box of the coffee table.

"King Arthur? Booth, you can't be serious. The story around King Arthur and his Knights is a legend to entertain children."

"Well, that may be, it still is a good movie. Not everything has to be really happened to be good, has it? It's like you said, it's just entertainment. Besides…it's full of fully independent ass-kicking women." he said, charm-smile in place.

She just smiled back and took her vest of. Just like she had eyed him earlier, he eyed her now. She was completely unaware of this and just settled against his bare shoulders.

She just felt so comfortable.

They both felt so comfortable.

"Hey Bones…" he said after a little while.

"Mm?"

"Sorry I was such a jerk today."

She put herself a little more upright so she could look into his eyes as she answered.

"That's okay Booth. I know these kind of cases are hard on you."

He sighed.

"They're hard on me too." she admitted after a little pause.

He hugged her against his shoulder and she just cuddled into his side.

He was right, she had liked the movie.

Although she had never seen the end of it, because halfway both of them had drifted off into the most peaceful sleep they had ever had.

**Give me a review for Christmas :)**


	3. Worst morning ever

**Disclaimer:** Nope, Santa forgot me, no Bones under the Christmas tree!

_3. Worst morning ever_

The next morning she woke up due to a beam of sunlight shining right at their faces.

If she had believed in God, she would have believed it was a sign. And even now she didn't believe, it was still a great way of waking up.

While she looked up, she saw she was fallen asleep in Booth's arms. She snuggled a little closer into his chest and inhaled his sent. She closed her eyes again.

The fact that the sun had woken her, meant it was already past 7, the normal hour she got up, but she couldn't care less.

Just when she opened her eyes again because she thought she had heard something, the door burst open.

Booth, a light sleeper since his sniper-days, shot up, grabbed his gun from the coffee table and pointed it at… Sully, backed up by two other FBI-agents, all weapons drawn.

"Freeze! Put your weapon down agent Booth!" he demanded.

"Sully?" Brennan gasped.

"Hey Tempe." Sully answered, his eyes not leaving Booth's gun.

Booth just stood there, weapon drawn, trying to get Brennan behind him.

"Please Booth. Don't make this any harder than it has to be. Put your weapon down."

"Excuse me?!" Booth retorted. "You break down _my _door, you three burst in here weapons drawn in _my _apartment and I am supposed to lower _my _weapon? Don't think so Sully. Not before you tell me what this is all about. Besides, aren't you supposed to be sailing around the world?"

"Tempe, get away from him please." Sully said.

"No!" Was Brennan's simple answer, while she moved even closer to Booth. "I think Booth's right. Aren't you going to tell us what this is all about?!"

Sully sighed. "I've been reinstated a few weeks ago. I wanted to come by and tell you Tempe, but..." he sighed. "Anyway, I'm here to arrest you Booth."

"Arrest me?" Booth exclaimed. "For what?"

"Triple murder. Now please, lower you weapon."

Slowly Booth put his gun down on the coffee table and put his hands behind his back. Brennan just stood there as they handcuffed her partner and best friend.

"I don't understand." was all Booth said.

"The slugs from the case of the pregnant women you send to the lab yesterday."

"Yeah, what about them?"

"They've been traced to your private gun."

"What?! That's impossible! I haven't used that in months!" Brennan still stood motionless at Booth's side.

"Temperance are you alright?" Sully asked looking at her.

She then realized she had goose bumps all over her uncovered arms and she was standing before them in nothing more then a tank top and sweats. She quickly grabbed her vest from the couch and put it on.

"I'm fine." she said.

"Okay." was all Sully answered. He nodded at the two other agents. One took Booth's arm and tried to escort him out.

"At least let him put on a shirt." Brennan said.

The agent looked at Sully and he nodded again.

"I'll get one." she offered and started walking to Booth's bedroom without waiting for permission.

"Temperance wait. I'll come with you." Sully said.

She let out an incredulous laugh. He didn't trust her either?!

"Do you have a house warrant?" she asked while she looked up at him.

His face hardened. "As a matter of fact we do." he said, pulling the paper from his jacket pocket and handing it to her. "And Booth, it would be nice if you cooperated and told us where the gun is."

"I have nothing to hide. It's in the last drawer of the closet in my bedroom." Another nod from Sully and one agent went to collect the gun.

"Three bullets missing." he said, checking it when he returned a minute later.

"That's impossible. That gun hasn't been out of that drawer for months!" Booth said again.

"Apparently it has." Sully answered. "Let's get that shirt." He said to Brennan.

She turned and walked to Booth's bedroom with Sully on her heels.  
"So, you two finally ended up together…" Sully said while she grabbed a shirt. "I'm sorry it had to end this way."

She turned around. Yes she had been shocked a few minutes ago, but shock was the last thing she was feeling right now. Try furious.

"If you even think that Booth has anything to do with this, you're an idiot. Someone is obviously setting him up. Don't you see that?! This is all going to easy. The bodies were just discovered yesterday, we find the slugs right away and they lead to Booth's weapon?! Booth wouldn't make that mistake. Booth would know not to leave something like that behind. Booth of all people would know how to commit the perfect crime. We have the highest solve rate of the entire US for crying out loud!"

At this point her voice had risen, and she was almost yelling at him. One of the other agents came to look what was going on. Dr Brennan's temper was after all well-known in the agency, as well as her relationship to her partner.

"And to answer your other question, nothing has changed between Booth and me while you were gone."

That being said, she shot the agent a dark look before going back to the living room.

Booth was still standing there next to the other agent. Despite the situation Brennan couldn't suppress a smile. The agent looked awfully small next to Booth. She glared at the agent.

He just looked back at Sully and after probably another nod, put the cuffs off. It irritated Brennan that the agents were checking their every movement with Sully. Hadn't they ever heard of an equal partnership?!

Booth rubbed his wrists, then took the shirt from Brennan, looking right into her eyes as he did so.

"I have nothing to do with this Bones, I swear." he said. She nodded and smiled a little smile.

"I know." she reassured him. "I know. You wouldn't be his stupid. I'll find out who's doing this to you."

"Actually you won't." Sully said. "You're off the case."

"I'm what?!"

"You're his partner. Conflict of interests. The rest of your squints will continue the investigation together with my partner and me."

Something snapped in her when he said that. Her team, Booth's 'squints' had to prove his guilt?

"They're a team of highly educated doctors. They have more doctorates then you even knew existed. Don't call them squints." She said coolly before she looked back at Booth. "And that doesn't matter anyway. I'll find out what happened." she promised him.

And with that, they took him away. With a sigh she got out her phone. Thank God she had brought that with her.

How could what seemed an hour ago like the best morning ever, turn all the sudden into the worst?

**Okay, this is it! Please review people, it keeps me going!**


	4. Wrong

**Disclaimer:** Bones belongs to FOX and Hart Hanson.... and to Booth of course

_4. Wrong_

The first call she made, after the handyman to fix Booth's door, was to Caroline. Brennan quickly explained the situation and Caroline agreed to defend Booth. She was now trying to find out as much as she could.

Brennan drove home in a rush, got dressed and headed to the lab. She hoped she would be there before Sully or his partner had told her team. Their team.

When she reached the lab and saw Angela rushing towards her, she knew she was to late.

"Sweetie! What's going on? Sully just turned up, I didn't even know he was back!

And now he told us Booth got arrested for those murders. He says the bullets match his weapon. Sweetie, this can't…" Angela seemed like she was going to lose it.

Why did Brennan feel so calm? Maybe it just hadn't hit her yet. "I know Ange, I know." she said while walking to the platform.

There she saw Cam, Hodgins and Wendell with Sully and another man, probably Sully's new partner.

"Dr Brennan, I presume." the man said. "I'm Special Agent Dasilva. Nice to finally meet you, although I wish it had been under different circumstances. Now I'm afraid a proper introduction will have to wait since I have to ask you not to enter the platform."

Brennan just ignored him.

"Nice to meet you." she said, swiping her card and walking up the stairs.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to temper you evidence. I just came to get my things." she said while she grabbed some limbo files of the table.

With that she walked back off the platform up to her office. There she threw the files at her coffee table and plopped down on her couch.

She buried her head in her hands and took a deep cleansing breath. She needed coffee.

"Temperance?" she suddenly heard Sully's voice and her head shot up. "Can we talk for a minute?"

"Sure." she said. "You probably need my statement."

"Now don't be like that." he said. "I was, I am just doing my job."

She sighed. "I know. And I'm not angry at you for that. I just… I have a lot of things on my mind right now."

"I know you don't want to believe he did it..."

"He didn't!" she threw in.

"Tempe, you're a woman of science and evidence. How can you just ignore this?!"

"I'm not. Its not direct evidence."

"Only his fingerprints were on that gun Tempe."

"Someone could have wiped them off. It's not hard to alter evidence. Certainly prints. I mean, everyone nowadays knows to look out for prints."

"Tempe, I know you care about him, he's your partner..."

"I think we both know he's a little more then just my partner."

Sully looked like he had been slapped in the face. How could she have changed this much? How could she put evidence beside her and put trust in it's place?

"Yeah…" Sully sighed.

Only then Brennan realized how wrong that had sounded, but also how right.

"He's my best friend. I don't care what the evidence says, he didn't do it. I know I'm not the best at reading people, but I know Booth."

"Like you knew Zack?" Sully whispered. That was a low blow. How dare he bring Zack into all this?! And what did that mean anyway?!

"I've heard about it at the office. You thought you knew him so well, and he turned out to be the apprentice of a cannibalistic serial killer.

You know Booth really as good as you think you do?"

With that he left her office. Brennan sunk back into her couch.

She hadn't thought of that yet.

Was Sully right?

Was she mistaken?

Again.

Was Booth just like all the other people in her life?

Had he just broken down her walls to hurt her, to leave her?

Now it really hit her.

Booth had promised to never betray her... was he about to break that promise?

**Poor Brennan...:(**

**I've chosen Wendell to be the intern in the story, because he's simply the best! I like the other interns too, but... whatever :)**

**I don't know if I'll be able to update again before New Year, so Happy New Year everyone! I wish you all the best!**

**A big thank you for the people who reviewed, alerted, and favourited (is that a word?), and of course, to Saorsa, who was kind enough to beta!**

**Keep it coming in the next year!  
**


	5. Visit

**Disclaimer:** Nope, still don't own Bones, and probably never will.

_5. Visit_

After the talk with Sully Brennan had fled from her office.

Angela had called after her, but she hadn't answered. She had just gotten into her car and drove.

She drove and cried.

She didn't even know where she was driving to, until she found herself outside the mental facility Zack was being held.

She checked her appearance in the side-mirror and when she thought her puffy eyes didn't show that much anymore, she got out.

Ten minutes later she found herself in an uncomfortable room with dull colors waiting for Zack.

No wonder people got mad in here.

"Dr Brennan." Zack said surprised as he entered the room.

"Hey Zack." she said as she got up and hugged him.

"I'm sorry I haven't visited you anymore I just…"

"That's okay Dr Brennan. I know you have a very demanding live."

Brennan smiled. He hadn't changed a bit.

"How are you Zack?"

"Good, a little bored though. Sudoku can only entertain someone for so long."

"I can only imagine how horrible it must be for someone with your intelligence to be trapped in here." she stated.

"Well, I've been educating some other patients on my ward, so I don't see my time here as completely wasted.

Although they don't really seem to get the same satisfaction as I do from solving equations."

"You haven't changed a bit Zack." Brennan said, voicing her earlier thought.

"No." He stated Zack-like. "But I've got the feeling you do. Are you okay Dr Brennan?" Okay, _that _was not Zack-like.

'Well, here goes nothing.' she thought

"No, not really Zack. Booth has just been arrested for triple murder. They matched the bullets used to kill the victims to his private weapon."

Again, tears sprang into her eyes. What was happening to her?

Zack's hand shot out and covered hers. What happened to him?

After a while he just asked "Do you think he did it?"

Brennan shrugged her shoulders.

"I didn't at first but… I'm not that good at reading people. I've been wrong before."

As she said that she looked her former grad student right in his eyes. She held his gaze, until Zack sighed and looked down.

"Yes. I'm sorry Dr Brennan. I know I'm responsible for you doubting agent Booth right now. I never wanted to misuse you trust. I just thought I was doing the right thing." He said apologetic.

"I know. But if someone brilliant as you can believe murder is the right thing to do then…"

At this Zack cut her of. "Booth and I are completely different people. I'm a rational human being, capable of rationalizing and compartmentalizing almost everything. That made me capable of murder. That's the risk of being hyper-rational."

Brennan nodded. That had been the exact same thing as Sweets had told about her on her fathers trial.

"Booth on the other hand is a very emotional heart-kind of person. Yes, he kills to protect the ones he loves, but I don't see him committing a murder."

Brennan nodded. Zach was right. She didn't believe that either. Not Booth.

She knew it was irrational that she still believed in his innocence while all the evidence proved otherwise.

But this was Booth they were talking about. She did not, she could not give up on him. Not when he had yet to give up on her.

So she followed the advice Booth had given her on what seemed now a very long time ago. The advice that had given her family back.

'Put the brain in neutral and pop the heart in overdrive.'

"You're not taking psychology-courses in here, now are you?" she asked Zack smiling after a while.

"Of course not!" He answered, almost sounding insulted. "I'm not completely mad."

Brennan laughed. Maybe she had been wrong before.

Maybe he did have changed.

He certainly had gained a sense of humor. Maybe that was because of those comic books, or graphic novels Hodgins always made him read.

"I probably gained some insight in this matter in my sessions with Dr Sweets." Same difference.

"Yeah, I know how that feels." Brennan said. "Thanks Zack."

"You're welcome Dr Brennan." She smiled and hugged him again.

Sully was the one who was wrong. She had never been wrong about Zack.

* * *

Back into her car she took out her phone and made yet another call.

It only took a few rings for the person on the other side to answer.

Brennan took a deep breath before saying some very difficult words.

"Dad. I need your help."

**Okay, I admit, I've got a soft spot for reviews, alerts and pm's.... and Zack of course, although he's hard to get because...well unlike him I'm not a genius... **

**I just hope that being held in that mental facility changed him a bit and I'm not too out of character.  
**

** Anyway, here's another update before New Year :)**


	6. Phone call

**Disclaimer:** Still don't own Bones

_**6. Phone call**_

"Hey dad, thanks for coming." she said while she opened the door of her apartment.

It had been a long day.

After her visit to Zack she had practically stared out of her office window onto the platform all morning.

Then, when she couldn't take it anymore she had gone to the Hoover-building. But she was not allowed to see Booth.

Another agent she knew was on the same hockey team as Booth told her he'd been interrogated the entire morning.

This did not make her feel better.

Impulsively she decided to go and see Cullen. To see what he thought about all of this. About his best agent being locked up for murder.

But he wasn't in his office. His secretary had told her he was with Booth, in the interrogation room.

So she had no choice than to make an appointment for the next day and go back to her office, to stare at the busy platform some more.

That afternoon there had been some commotion and Angela had ecstatically come up to tell her that they had found a hair of the killer on one of the victims.

"This is all going to be over soon." she had said.

They, Brennan, Angela, Wendell and Hodgins were already half-celebrating when Cam came up to the coffee corner with a dark look on her face.

The hair matched Booth's DNA.

Brennan had just sighed and looked down, while the others face fell when they realized they had not just proven their friend's innocence, but his guilt.

Brennan had stood up and walked to her office. They had all followed her, proving they were on her side, on his side.

Cam had promised her they would find something. Something to prove his innocence this time. She had just nodded.

Angela had been holding back tears, and had demanded her to promise not to do anything stupid or illegal to get Booth out. She had promised it. She wouldn't.

But that didn't mean she wouldn't enlist someone that could and would, if for no more reason than to see her happy.

"Of course honey. Now explain, because I'm a little confused. Booth is in jail?!" Max asked bewildered.

Brennan nodded.

"Well that's kind of ironic." he said with a half smile.

"Dad…"

"I'm sorry honey. I was just joking. What happened?"

So she told him everything that had happened since that morning.

"And they really think Booth would be so stupid to kill those women with his own gun?" Max asked incredulous.

"That's exactly what I said. I have an appointment to Booth's boss tomorrow morning, and I also hope to hear something from Caroline. Maybe one of them can tell me something more."

"Caroline? The DA that was trying to get me convicted? She's defending Booth?"

"Yes. She is the best in her field."

"So I've noticed."

"Look dad,.." at this she was interrupted by her phone. "Brennan." she said, answering it.

"Hey Bones."

"Booth! They let you use the phone?" she asked, relieved to hear his voice, though he sounded worn, and putting him on speaker phone.

"It's my right Bones. A five minute phone call a day."

"I know Booth, but that's to call you lawyer."

"I already saw Caroline today, so I thought I could call you. I…I just wanted to hear your voice." This made her heart stop for a second. And his when she didn't answer. "Bones?"

"Yeah, I'm still here."

"Euhm…Thanks for calling Caroline."

"No problem. I tried to see you today, but as expected I couldn't. You were interrogated all day?"

"Yeah. Let's just say I found out how they treat crooked cops."

"You're not."

"I know that, but I feels good to hear someone else say it too for a change."

"I'll get you out of there Booth."

"Bones, I don't want you to get into trouble." There was definitely warning in his voice.

"Don't worry, I'll take that part." Max cut in.

"M..Max?" Booth asked bewildered.

"Yeah. Tempe just told me everything she knows. Now, what do they got on you?"

"Could you turn off the speaker phone. The line is getting bad." Max immediately took the hint and brought the phone to his ear. "I'm listening."

**Sorry I haven't updated earlier. It's back-to-school-week :( I'm sure some of you know how that feels, or can remember the feeling...**

**Anyway, a big thank you to everyone who reviewed, PM'ed or put me on story or author alert. You guys rock!**

**Keep them coming ;)**

**Sara  
**


	7. Interrogation

**Discaimer:** Still don't own Bones.

_**7. Interrogation**_

_"So, Agent Booth. I'm Special Agent Dasilva. I'm quite new around here, so you probably wouldn't have heard much about me. But you… you're quite a legend, even at Quantico."  
he said picking up Booth's file from the steel table. _

_"Former ranger-sniper, one of the best agents of this bureau. And part of one of the strangest and most successful partnerships of the FBI."  
_

_Booth knew this dance Dasilva was dancing. He choreographed this dance for a living. He wished he would just get to business, so he knew what they had against him. _

_"I've had the pleasure of meeting your partner, Dr Brennan, this morning. I must admit, I had heard she was beautiful, but even I didn't expect her to be that beautiful." he paused. _

_"Still, a strange woman. Awkward. Not the most social person I know." Booth's jaw clenched. _

_He knew Dasilva was trying to provoke him into answering, and there was more to this then it seemed, so he searched his words well before speaking._

_"Then you don't know her. Her social skills have improved a lot in the last five years I know and worked with her. Besides, there is more about her then just her social skills. I think Agent Sullivan here can confer that." _

_Sully, who was sitting next to Dasilva shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Touché.  
_

_"Yeah…Well, it's not a secret that you are also great friends."  
_

_"We are" Booth simply said. He couldn't say anything wrong by that. Besides, it was true, it was not a secret.  
_

_"A friendship that even survived you arresting her father."  
_

_"Yes. She knew I was just doing my job. She respected that."  
_

_"You have been going to partners-counselling with Dr Sweets ever since. Right?"  
_

_"Yes."  
_

_"And after your brain surgery you had some individual sessions with that same doctor?"  
_

_"Yes."_

_"Your operation was a success. You only reacted badly to the anaesthetics. So, why did you need counselling?"  
_

_"Why don't you tell me. You probably have it all written down there in front of you. And Sweets can formulate those things so much better than I can."  
_

_"But I'd like it in your words agent." Dasilva said smiling.  
_

_Booth sighed. "During my coma I suffered from a vivid hallucination where I owned a club where all my friends and co-workers worked. When I woke up I was a little… confused." He knew this was not going to be enough, he had already seen where this was going to, so he would not make it any easier for them.  
_

_"And what roll did Dr Brennan play in that vivid hallucination of yours?"  
_

_"The second club-owner."_

_"And?"_

_"And my wife."  
_

_"Interesting."  
_

_"My hallucination was a reaction to her newest book being read to me out loud. I just replaced the characters with people I knew."  
_

_"That makes no difference. You obviously saw the two of you in the roll of husband and wife. What a disappointment that must have been when you woke up and she was just your best friend." _

_Booth didn't react. _

_"Or not. Agent Sullivan here just told me about your arrest. You often sleep half naked with you 'best friend'?" _

_Booth glared at Sully while he answered. _

_"We're just friends." Booth easily lied. At least this lie he had been telling for five years, he could make it believable.  
_

_"So, then again, not disappointed?"  
_

_Now Booth was getting irritated. This was coming a little too close.  
_

_"I hope one day you'll know what it's like to have a really good friend. Maybe then you'll understand that's nothing to be disappointed about."  
_

_"Come now Agent Booth. You're telling me it didn't matter to you that one day, you were feeling happily married and you were going to become a father, and the other, you're…"  
_

_"I am a father. And I have a family. I am happy. Besides, what's this all about. What has my dream to do with the murders of those women?"  
_

_But the moment he asked, he knew the answer. "That's just sick."  
_

_"I agree Agent Booth. It is. You can't have your partner the way you had her in your dream, so you found other women who looked just like her. Blue eyes, brown hair,…ring a bell? They even wore the same perfume."  
_

_"That's just ridiculous! I would never ever do something like that."_

_"No?"_

_"No, and Sweets knows that."  
_

_"You have killed before."  
_

_"Only when I didn't have another choice."  
_

_"Maybe you thought you didn't?"  
_

_"This is just ridiculous." Booth said again.  
_

_"Okay, let's get to the facts then. The slugs found at the crime scene came from your private weapon, found in your house. There are chemicals found on the bodies of the victims, chemicals from your cologne, also found in your house. There was a hair, your hair, found on one of the victims! I'm sure you see the resembling component here. And I'm sure this is just the start. I'm sure the -squints you call them?- will find many other forensic evidence that links you to these murders. Even without the help of your partner they're quite useful. Or are you just going to surprise us all with an alibi?"  
_

_Booth swallowed and remained still. He knew he couldn't. At the time of the murders he had been in bed…alone.  
_

_"Does my bath duck count?" he asked sarcastically.  
_

_"This is no time for jokes agent Booth."  
_

_"Then no. I was in bed like every other normal human being! Alone!" he said, losing his patience. "This doesn't make any sense."  
_

_"No? O it makes perfect sense to me Agent Booth. You snapped. Not once, not twice, but three times. You see, Agent Booth, I may not have your solve rate, but I'm not stupid."  
_

_"No? You think it's just coincidence the evidence was lying around everywhere just for you to find. You don't think I'm smarter then that?"  
_

_"Look, one piece of evidence could be altered. Two, maybe, three, highly unlikely. And we're not even done with our investigation yet. Who knows what else might pop-up."  
_

_"Still, you think I would just scatter the evidence around, while I could have made everything disappear?"  
_

_"We're not always in control of the situation Agent Booth. Anger, stress, maybe another hallucination…"  
_

_At this, Booth laughed out loud. "I've got a clear bill of health. And about being in control…" he said while he leaned menacingly forward towards Dasilva, at least as far as he could with his hands still cuffed behind his back. _

_"I have been an army sniper for more then ten years. Control meant survival."  
_

_"Many things have changed since you brain tumor."  
_

_"Little things, never things like this. That should also be in that file you have there."  
_

_"Actually, it doesn't matter Agent Booth. I can put you at the crime scene. I can tie you to the murder weapon. You have no alibi. I can even give you a motive. _

_Face it, Agent Booth. I'm putting you away for a very, very long time."_

**I know, I hate Dasilva too! :)**

**Thanks for the alerts and reviews everyone!**

**They made my day!  
**


	8. Recap

**Disclaimer:** Wishful thinking does not work. I tried, and I still don't own Bones.

8. Recap

"I got to go Max, my five minutes are up."

"Okay Booth. Take care. We'll get you out of there."

"Thanks Max. Hey… How is Bones? She had some trouble sleeping lately, and..."

"Really? And how would you know that?" Max asked with a faint smile. These two were just so obvious!

"No, It's not what you think..." Booth quickly tried to assure him.

"That doesn't matter now Booth. Let's prove you're innocent first."

"I didn't do this Max." Booth said seriously. "I wouldn't do this to her. I would never hurt her."

"I know son. If I didn't, you wouldn't be in jail right now, you'd be dead and buried."

And at that Booth actually laughed. He was getting framed for murder and laughed at the threat of a conman and murderer.

He was definitely losing his mind.

"Max, could you put Bones back on please."

Max handed the phone to his daughter, who had been sitting at his side for the entire conversation.

"Booth?"

"Hey Bones. I really got to go now. Just wanted to say bye." He could hear her smile trough the phone.

"Bye Booth." and with that the line disconnected.

Slowly she put the phone down and sighed. She knew her father was looking at her so she just walked to the kitchen and opened her fridge.

"Want a beer dad?"

"Uhm.. Sure, thanks honey." he said absentmindedly.

Brennan thought it had been nice of Booth to call her. If she had to be completely honest, it had been nice to hear his voice too, even if it had only been a few words.

"So what didn't Booth want me to know?" she asked her father as she handed him his beer and sat down on her couch.

He just looked surprised at his daughter.

"Dad, I know I don't have the best social skills and I might be quite oblivious sometimes, but I'm not stupid. And I know Booth."

Max smiled and nodded. "Of course." he sighed. "Well, you already know about the scientific evidence."

"What else is there?" she already interrupted him.

"Motive."

"What would be Booth's motive to kill those women?" Brennan asked confused.

"You never told me Booth was in a coma after his surgery. And he hallucinated?"

"What has that to do with anything?" she asked even more confused. "They think he's still having those hallucinations and they're telling him to kill?!"

"No. Well, not precisely."

"Well, what do you mean then?"

"They think he got disappointed when he woke up."

"Disappointed?" she asked a little alarmed.

"For him not being married to you. For you not to be carrying his baby." Brennan's brows furrowed. What?!

"They think he wants to kill that dream, that hallucination, by killing a pregnant you." Max said, looking worried.

"That is… That is absolutely ridiculous. Booth and I are friends. Just friends. And even if he did feel that way, and he doesn't, still he wouldn't do something like that. Booth respects human life, more than anyone I know. He would not do something like that." she disclaimed, swaying her beer.

"I know that honey. Besides, Booth is a smart man. Like we said before, he wouldn't be scattering evidence like the Easter bunny."

"I don't know what that means." Brennan said.

"It means he didn't do it honey. And we're going to prove it." Brennan nodded.

"How did they know all the details about that hallucination of his anyway. I don't see Booth telling them that."

"I don't know." Max said while he relaxed himself a little into the couch.

"Thought he said they knew all about it through that kid-psychologist of yours."

"Sweets?!" Brennan asked, her voice rose.

"Yeah that one… hey, where are you going?" he asked while she took her coat and stormed to the door.

"Pay my psychologist a little visit. I'm suddenly feeling in a mood to share."

**O_ow... Run Sweets, run! :)**

**As always, a big thank you to my loyal Beta Saorsa, and to everyone who reviewed or alerted!**


	9. Counsel

**Disclaimer:** Bones belongs to FOX, Hart Hanson and Booth. Not to me :(

9. Counsel

"You gave them Booth's file?" she accused him while she threw his office door open.

"Dr Brennan." Sweets piped, jumping of his chair and clicking a screen down on his computer. "Did you?" she asked again, standing in front of his desk.

He suddenly leaned very far back into his chair.

"Well, um, I had no choice. Agent Booth came to me acting upon instructions of the FBI. And besides, it's a murder investigation."

"You as well as I know he did not commit those murders."

Now he thought the worst was over he put himself a little straighter in his chair.

"And why are you so sure Dr Brennan? You of all people are a woman of science, and the evidence says he did it."

Now this she had already heard too much today. She leaned back forward, her hands menacingly on his desk.

"Now you listen to me Sweets. Don't get all psychologist on me. My partner is in jail for murders he did not commit, so I'm not in the mood. Now, I thought you liked Booth…"

"This is not about me liking or disliking Agent Booth Dr Brennan…"

"I'm not done yet!"

He sunk a little further into his chair again.

"Now I thought you liked him. But you're right; it's not about that now. It's about the fact that your file, your theories in that file, about Booth or about Booth and me, are getting him convicted. And this while you know, if not personally, than at least professionally, Booth would never do something like that. He would never hurt someone without a very good reason. He would never raise his hand upon a woman, definitely not a pregnant one!" She said with blazing eyes. "So now, for a change, let me give you some advice, give you some counsel: make up your mind Sweets. For or against us. You can't have it both ways." and with that she stormed her way back out of his office, slamming the door behind her.

As soon as she was gone, Sweets swallowed. That sure was…something.

When Agent Dasilva had burst into his office this morning, asking, no demanding Booth's file, he had refused.

What was that Agent thinking he would just hand out his files? And was he just supposed to believe it was true that Booth had been arrested for multiple murders?  
Come on, it was Booth they were talking about?! It was only when Dasilva had shown him the warrant that Sweets had believed him. He had handed over the files and Dasilva had immediately, there in his office, started reading them like a novel. He had actually smiled while reading.

"Thanks doc, this will be really helpful." he had said and then he had just walked out of Sweets office with the files. Just like that.

But Brennan was right. There was a lot that Sweets knew that wasn't in those files. Things he just…knew.

Sighing he opened the screen he had closed when Dr Brennan had rushed in. It was an é-mail of his publisher, the publisher that wanted to publish the book he had wrote about Brennan and Booth.

He absentmindedly plunked his fingers against his desk.

Eventually, after staring into thin air for more than half an hour, he uploaded the document and hit 'send'.

He had made his choice.

For or against them, he couldn't have it both ways

**Okay, I've proven myself to have a soft spot for reviews. **

**Thanks a lot! Each and every one of them made my day!**

**Maybe this chapter wasn't what some were expecting, but I have a soft spot for Sweets too, so... sorry :)  
**

** Besides, could anyone actually see Sweets think something like that about Booth?  
**


	10. Choice

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Bones.

10. Choice

It had been a long night for Brennan. When she had come home, her father had left her a note.

I'll be back tomorrow.

I'll try to poke around a little already.

Sleep tight.

Dad.

She had not slept well.

At six she had just gotten up and went jogging.

At seven she had taken a quick shower, got dressed and drove to the Hoover-building.

And that's where she was right now.

About an hour too early for her appointment with Cullen, drinking coffee at the FBI headquarters.

It was weird to drink coffee in here without Booth. It was weird without Booth. This was weird, it wasn't like they usually were always together anyway, was it?

She was leaning against the counter where the coffee machine stood, looking into the hall, when she saw Sweets coming out of the elevator. She was still mad at him. She had trusted him. Booth had trusted him.

A few minutes later she saw Agent Dasilva coming out of his office, into the hallway.

She was just on her way to ask him how Booth was, and to venture at him, when she heard Sweets calling out for him. She froze.

"Agent Dasilva. Can I talk to you for a minute."

"Euhm… I'm actually in the middle of something doc."

"It's Doctor Sweets for you, and this can't wait."

Wow Sweets, where did that come from?

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Besides you barging into my office and just taking my files? Taking conclusions without consulting me?"

"Easy Dr Sweets. Who told you I'm making conclusions?"

Sweets didn't answer.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the little visit Dr Brennan paid you yesterday night, would it?"

"No. And how do you know about that anyway? Are you having her followed?"

"You didn't answer my question doctor."

"Neither did you."

"He knew from me." another voice cut in.

"Sir?" Dasilva asked.

"I followed the interrogation through the mirror yesterday and I wanted Dr Sweets opinion on things." Cullen answered.

There was a deep silence after that.

"I guess that's everything?" he asked, eying the agent and the doctor.

"Actually not." Sweets said. Brennan didn't know Sweets had this in him.

"I would like my files back. This way I know I'll at least be consulted the next time my findings are used."

Cullen's mouth twitched. This was an all new side of Sweets.

"Agent Dasilva, have you read the files?" he asked.

"Yes Sir, but…"

"Then you can give them back to Dr Sweets. He'll be at your service if you need his expertise again."

"Yes Sir." Dasilva said reluctantly.

"I'll get them." he said, turning to Sweets.

"Good." Cullen said. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have an appointment to go to." and with this he turned around and walked back to his office.

Brennan took a sip of her now cold coffee and processed everything that had just happened. It seemed she had been wrong about Sweets. Since when did she jump to conclusions so quickly? But then again, since when did she trust her 'gut' over her science? She put her cup on the counter and went the way Cullen had gone, back to his office.

**Go Sweets! :)**

**Sorry it took me so long to update, it's Chrysostomos on Friday and I'm a little bit -very much- excited! **

**For the ones who don't know what X-mos is, I think it's a little like 'Prank Day' in America.**

**The seniors throw a huge party because they have reached the 100 days limit (only 100 days left of high school). And we're not known for being selfish, so the other classes can skip class that day as well… after we've smeared them with shaving cream and stuff.**

**But the highlight of the event is definitely a show where we can, and only then we're aloud to do this (without getting detention), make fun of our teachers in front of the entire school. And, of course, don't forget the party afterwards! ;)**

**Anyway, I'll try to keep the enthusiasm concerning X-mos a little down, and concentrate on updating instead.**

**Reviews could help! ;)**


	11. Blackmail

**Disclaimer:** If I owned Bones, Booth would be covered in evidence all the time. But I don't, so no such luck.

11. Blackmail

"Dr Brennan." Cullen greeted her as she came in. "Please, sit down."

"Thank you." she said as she sat down on the other side of his desk.

"So, I guess this is about Booth's case, isn't it?"

"Yes." she stated simply. What else could this be about?

"Well, I'm sorry but I can't tell you anything more then you already know."

"Which is nothing, officially." Brennan snapped. She was his partner for crying out loud. Couldn't they at least keep her informed?

"You know someone is setting him up, right? That he had nothing to do with this?" she asked.

"Dr Brennan, I do not believe agent Booth committed those crimes. I have known Booth ever since he came to work with the FBI, and I've never known a man with more respect for other human beings than Booth. He's a good man. He would never do something like this."

Okay. This was not what she had expected to hear.

"Don't look so shocked Dr Brennan. I know Booth better then you think."

"Okay, well if that's the case, why is he still sitting in jail?" she asked him again. This wasn't making any sense.

"Because there is a difference between what I know, and what I can prove. All the evidence points at Booth."

"Then let me assist in the investigation. Let me find some evidence."

"I can't do that Dr Brennan. You would have compromised the entire case just by your presence. Besides, the choice of taking you of the case was made above my head."

"Why? Why just me? The entire team stands behind Booth. Cam even used to date him. Isn't that more a conflict of interest then me being just his partner."

"His partner found half naked in his arms at the time of his arrest." Now Cullen was just stretching the facts. It hadn't been anything like that, had it?

"I wasn't half naked. I was fully dressed." she stretched the truth.

"That doesn't matter Dr Brennan. You're still his partner. Still conflict of interest"

"If I'm still his partner, don't you think I deserve to know what's happening, what they have on him?!"

Cullen sighed. He should've known he couldn't just keep her out of this.

"I'm sorry Dr Brennan, I can't tell you." she glowered at him. "…officially. Off the record? Nothing much. The bullets matching his gun, some chemicals of his cologne on the victims, and some of his hairs on the victim."

"Yes, I know. Together with that ridiculous idea of a motive. I usually tell Booth motive is not important because it's not based on scientific evidence, but this delusion is just pulled out of thin air."

" I know. I don't agree with Agent Dasilva's theory either. But it's his investigation." Cullen said meaningful.

Four years ago, Brennan might not have noticed it, but she had learned a lot from working with Booth.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why is he leading this investigation?"

"Well, I had to put a relatively new agent at the case since all the other agents here just know Booth. Some would just let him go because they like him; others might lock him up to take his place. You're a very wanted partner Dr Brennan. Most agents think Booth's success is mostly due to you."

"I couldn't do anything without Booth." she said without thinking. Why did everything she said lately sounded so wrong and right at the same time?

"Well…anyway, Dasilva worked in several bureaus since he became an agent. Truth be told, most of them liked to see him go."

"Mmm." Brennan said. And this man was leading the investigation against Booth. They had to be kidding. "So if I understand you correctly, this agent Dasilva won't look further then his nose. Booth is going to be convicted for something he never did."

"Well, I didn't say that. We still have you squints."

"Yes." she said as she stood.

"And me. Off the record." Cullen's mouth twitched into a smile.

"Thank you for time Sir." He nodded.

"Anytime Dr Brennan. I don't like this anymore then you do."

Brennan nodded and walked to the door. Just before she opened it, she turned around.

"And just so you know, if Booth gets down for this that would mean the end of my cooperation with the FBI. I'm not doing this without Booth. I'm not working with anyone else." She paused briefly. "Thought you should know that."

"Is this some kind of blackmail Dr Brennan?" Cullen asked, his eyes narrowed.

Brennan smiled. "Yes. Yes, I think it is." and with that she turned and walked out of his office.

**Well, doesn't this sound familiar? :)**

**Thanks for the reviews! Unfortunately, the show was a disaster...to say the least.**

**Well, I'll just have to focus myself on writing. **

**Thanks for reading!  
**


	12. Fan

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own Bones.

**12. Fan**

The next morning Brennan woke with a start. She stared at her clock and groaned. Seven.  
It had been another sleepless night for her. She had only drifted off around five.  
She blinked her eyes a few times, and then saw the offending object that had woken her. Her phone.

"Brennan." she said groggily.

"Temperance!" she heard the voice of her publisher.

"Emily." Brennan said when she sat up . "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?! Ow Temperance, I can't believe you forgot!"

"Forgot what?" Brennan asked, still confused.

"The presentation of your new book yesterday! You were supposed to be there, talk, socialise. Where were you?! I tried to call you the entire evening!"

"O my god Emily, I'm so sorry, I totally forgot. It has been a busy week and…"

"Yeah Temperance, I know, but we've been working up to this for the entire month: interviews, photo shoots,…"

Brennan sighed. Yeah, she remembered those. "I know Emily but…"

"No buts." her publisher interrupted her. "I organized a chat-session with your fans this afternoon to make up for it."

"This afternoon?! No Emily, I really can't…"

"The hell you can't Temperance. You make sure you can. Four PM." The line disconnected.

Brennan blinked and closed her phone. What a wonderful way to start the day.

* * *

At four she opened her computer at the site her publisher had sent her. Whether she liked it or not, she would be chatting with her fans for the next four hours. FOUR HOURS!  
Although she knew it wasn't possible, that sounded like eternity to her. Like she had nothing better to do! The first question she got was

- "Is it true Kathy and Andy are based on you and your real life FBI-partner?

Great, this was just great. Brennan sighed while she answered.

* "No. I made up every character in my books."

Second one

- "What will your next book be about?"

* "I don't know yet, I just published this one. I haven't started the other one yet."

And this went on and on and on… She always answered as short as she could.

Three hours later she was happy when she spotted a regular fan.  
She had seen him on all of her other book presentations, or whatever she had to attend. He was different then the other fans she had. Less... Noisy.

- "Good afternoon Dr Brennan."

* "Good afternoon Mr. Bennet"

- "How many times have I asked you to call me Benny, Dr Brennan."

She smiled

* "Sorry. Okay Benny. How are you?"

- "Good thank you Dr Brennan. How is the chat session going?"

She sighed

* "Honestly?"

- "Of course."

* "I think I prefer a presentation or a signing over this."

- "Me too. "

They talked for another half hour, Brennan actually neglecting the other fans on the site. This wasn't that bad.

- "Dr Brennan, can I ask you something?"

* "Of course, that's why I'm here."

- "Could I take you out some time?"

Great… so that's what they meant with 'don't sell the bear before its shot'. Now, how did she say this politely?

* "I'm sorry Benny, but I'm actually seeing someone at the moment."

That wasn't too harsh, was it. She believed it was called a blue lie or something like that.

- "Ah, of course. My fault, I'm sorry."

* "That's okay. You couldn't know."

- "No, I didn't"

Silence…'okay' she thought. 'awkward!'

- "Well, it's eight."

He suddenly said.

* "Ah yes, I hadn't noticed yet. It was nice talking to you again Benny."

- "You too, Dr Brennan. I'll see you on your next book signing. And if you might change your mind about going out, you have my card."

His card? Ow yeah, he had given her that some time ago…yeah, where exactly had she put that?

* "I don't think so, but thanks anyway. Bye.

- "Bye."

**A boring chapter I know, but I needed it. You probably already know why, but… **

**amuse me and review :)  
**


	13. The other side

**Disclaimer:** Bones does not belong to me.

_The other side_

In the meanwhile Booth was eating himself up at the Hoover building. He had to get out of here.

He was pacing so vehemently that it wouldn't surprise him if there would be a whole in the floor when this was over. 'If this was ever over.' He thought to himself.

He had to prove he had nothing to do with this, but how could he when he was locked up in here and the agents investigating the case didn't conduct a proper investigation? They only concentrated on him, on trying to let him confess murders he did not commit. How could they check out all the leads while they were here all the time interrogating him?

He was sure that if he had not had military training he would have just confessed out of pure misery. He knew better then anyone how cops treated crooked cops, but experiencing it himself was something he had not want to go trough. How could they believe he did this anyway?! Had he not proven himself loyal to the bureau, the truth, to his country enough?! He rolled his shoulders a little to try to get the stiffness out of them. Hell, he was not really used being cuffed 24/7. And he would just kill for a piece of pie right now. Forgetting to bring him some food was also part of the special-treatment he got, along with a lot of nasty looks and comments of course.

Yesterday evening however, when it was time to bring him back to his cell, he had heard Alex, one of his men, proposing to Dasilva to escort him. Instead Dasilva had sent for another agent.

"This morning you were telling everyone who wanted to hear how ridiculous Booth's arrest was, and now you're offering to escort him to his cell. You think I'm stupid?"

"What? You think I'd bust him out or something? Cause if you even think I would do that or Booth would agree to that, you are even more stupid then you look. He is one of the good guys. The best man and agent I ever met or worked with. I know what you're trying to do, taking his place in the bureau, but let me tell you something: you're not even reaching his knees."

Those words had encouraged Booth. After that first interrogation, when he had heard of Sweets' theory, he had felt alone. He maybe hadn't act that way, but he had liked and trusted the kid. And suddenly he had felt betrayed. He had thought that if even Sweets could believe he could do something like that, everyone could believe it. And as days passed, it seemed like everyone did.

It was only after he overheard the conversation between Alex and Dasilva that he understood. There were still people who believed in his innocence, he was just not allowed to see them. They were trying to break him by letting him think he was all alone.

It stung that there were people he worked and lived with who believed he was guilty, but it encouraged him that there were also people who did believe in him, no matter what the so called evidence said.

His thoughts immediately drifted to his partner.

Hearing her voice every day, even I it was only for five minutes, made him strong enough to survive the next 24 hours. Strong enough to face the ones who didn't believe him.

But he still missed her. He missed seeing her everyday, he missed touching her on the small of her back, he even missed their constant bickering. Those things could not be replaced by a single phone call.

Of all people he wanted her to know more then anyone that he did not do this. That he had not let her down, not lied to her, not disappointed her as well. He wanted to see her, look into her eyes and tell her he would never hurt her. He wanted to give her one of their 'guy hugs' and tell her everything would be all right, although he did not know how. He wanted to hear her argue, saying he could not possibly know that. But most of all he wanted to know that she knew he did not do this.

He smiled to himself when he remembered the morning when he was arrested. Apart from the arrest, it was one of the best mornings of his life. He had woken up around seven, and slumbered until the FBI busted in. He had felt her warm breath against his skin, her hair sprawled across his chest, her arms around his waist and his around hers. And her scent, her intoxicating scent had seemed to be everywhere. He had felt her waken and instead of pulling back, cuddling into his side even more.

It had felt like a dream.

And then reality had kicked in.

It had just been too good to last.

That first night, he had been doubting to call her. What if she had heard of the evidence against him? Of the indisputable evidence that pointed in his direction. What if she doubted him, pulled her walls back up, didn't want to speak or see him anymore? That night he had felt scared, like he hadn't been in a very long time. When he had finally found the courage to call her he had not needed to convince her of his innocence at all. For some unexplainable reason, she believed him. The famous Dr Temperance Brennan, woman of science, believed him over her science, over her evidence.

It gave him hope. Hope that maybe she did feel the same way, that she wouldn't freak out.

To hell with Sweets' brain scans and psychological mombo-yumbo. He loved her. And he would get out of here, and tell her.

Booth stopped the pacing, sat down and sighed. If he just knew how. If he only knew how.

**I know, I know, sorry about the latest chapter. It sucked, I know.  
**

**I'm not so sure about this one either. It wasn't originally in the story, but since I noticed some people missed Booth (which I can't blame you) I quickly put it in. **

**Therefore it's not corrected by my Beta, so sorry for any spelling mistakes. **

**Thanks for the reviews! They are very much appreciated!**


	14. Sit back and wait

**Disclaimer: **If I owned Bones, do you really think I'd be here, fantasising about Booth and Brennan being together, when I could actually make it so? A clue: no.

**13. Sit back and wait**

Another day passed after that. Another day of feeling useless. She wasn't allowed to see Booth, nor talk to him outside his one phone call a day, and she was getting irritated. This was just ridiculous. Anyone with something that only looked like brains should know that Booth did not do this. It was stupid, irrational and it annoyed her, but she missed Booth. And as things were now, her team was Booth's only chance. And all she could do was sit back and wait in her office. She did not like this situation. She was trying to concentrate on some paper work when Caroline barged into her office.

"What is it with you people that always gets you in trouble?" she asked, closing the door behind her.

"Caroline? Is everything okay? Is something wrong with Booth?" Brennan immediately asked alarmed.

"Apart from being in jail for murder, he is just fine Cherie. You on the other hand…"

"What about me?" Now she was just confused.

"You're being followed Dr Brennan."

"Followed?" Oh yeah…she totally forgot about that.

"Yeah. Two guys in a car and donuts on the other side of the street. They were trying not to be conspicuous, but seriously, donuts and two guys in a parked car…please."

"Yeah, I already heard Dasilva might have some people following me."

"Dasilva? No, I think this was more his partner's, that agent Sullivan's, idea. He thinks you're going to do something stupid to get Booth out. You're not going to do something stupid are you? I can only take one case like this at a time."

Brennan shook her head. "Sully." she said, more to herself then to Caroline.

"Yeah. What is it between Booth and that Sully-guy anyway?"

"Oh I don't know. The fact that Sully is arresting him for murder couldn't have anything to do with it, now could it?"

Caroline frowned. Was the super rational Dr Brennan being sarcastic?

"No. Booth was more hinting at something of their past. Something that has to do with you."

"That's personal." was all Brennan answered.

"Cherie, I take this case, and he's guilty, not likely but still a possibility, I can kiss my reputation goodbye. That's personal."

Brennan sighed. "Sully used to be my partner, temporarily, when Booth was having problems to get reinstated after that clown-incident."

"Mm…" Caroline said, motioning her to continue.

"And I used to date Sully. But I'm sure that has nothing to do with this case…"

"Jealousy!" Caroline yelled like an excited kid at Christmas-morning. "Both professionally as personally. I can work with that."

"No! Why would Sully be personally jealous of Booth? That doesn't make any sense."

"Cherie, agent hot-stuff and you can say all you like, but there is definitely something going on between the two of you. And I'm not debating this." She said while holding her hands up when she saw that Brennan wanted to argue. "Anyway, with that, this entire case will just end up in the legal trashcan. Conflict of interest with the handling officer. Things can't get any better then this."

"No." Brennan just said.

"What no?"

"No. This way the entire case will be dismissed and the killer will never be found. Booth wouldn't want that. Booth would want justice."

"Well, I sure as hell think Booth would prefer this over the death sentence."

Brennan swallowed. So did she. But she still didn't have to be happy about it.

"Hey Cherie" Caroline said when she saw Brennan's face. "I'm open for suggestions."

Brennan sighed.

"I'll just wipe this of the table in court and you'll have Booth back." Caroline said while standing up and taking her suitcase. "That's all I can do given what I'm given."

Brennan nodded.

"Now, don't do anything stupid…"

"Why does everyone think I'm going to do something stupid. I'm a world-renowned genius forensic anthropologist. I…"

"Yeah yeah Cherie, got it. Just sit back and wait, and let me handle this." Caroline said while opening the door. "And get rid of that tracking-team!"

Brennan sighed again and closed her eyes. Sit back and wait. Yeah, like that was ever going to happen.

"Hey sweetie." Angela said, poking her head around the door. Brennan opened her eyes.

"Hey Ange. Come in."

"Was that Caroline I just saw barging out of your office?" Brennan nodded. "Did she know something new?" Angela asked hopeful.

"Nothing I didn't already know."

As she said that her cell phone rang. "Brennan." she answered it.

"Temperance, it's me."

"Yeah dad, what's wrong?"

"Well, I'm here at Booth's apartment, and I was just going to use your key and look around a little bit, when I noticed something. Has there recently been a break-in into Booth's apartment?"

"No." Brennan answered, setting herself a little straighter. "Why?"

"Well, I see some scratches on the lock of his front door…"

"I'll be right there." she said, hanging up.

"Sweetie, what happened?" Angela asked worried while Brennan put her jacket on and walked to the door.

"Sweetie, have you found something?"

Brennan hesitated for a while.

"Angela, I want to tell you, I really do… but you need to report everything you know to the DA." At this Brennan saw that Angela understood.

"So you found something? Something that could get Booth out?"

Brennan smiled. For the first in days, she smiled. "Maybe."

At this Angela hugged her best friend and smiled too, and for once in her life let Brennan walk without an explanation.

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! It's always nice to know what you guys are thinking!**

**Keep them coming :)**

**(and for the ones who actually still read the disclaimer, yes, I'm guilty of watching Robin Hood lately ;))  
**


	15. Pictures

**Disclaimer:** Bones belongs to Booth, not to me.

**14. Pictures**

On her way to Booth's apartment Brennan called Cullen about the tracking-team, still driving behind her, and he had promised to do something about it immediately.  
Sure enough, when she turned to Booth's street the car did not follow.  
Her dad was waiting for her downstairs.

"Hey dad." she said while she kissed him on the cheek. "Show me what you found."

Yesterday her dad had showed up at her apartment when she got home and he'd told her what he had found out. Nothing. So it probably wasn't a professional. Well that was a relief…that only left them with about three billion other suspects. When Booth had called again that night Max had asked if he could take a look in his apartment, to see if there were any signs of…well something. Booth had said he could knock his socks off and use Bones' key.

"She has a key to your place?" her father had asked amused. So she had handed him the key so he could take a look, and here they were. Max kneeled in front of Booth's front door and Brennan followed his example. She hoped the neighbors wouldn't come out now, cause this was hard to explain.

"You see?" Max asked, pointing at some scratches at the lock. Now she looked more carefully, Brennan saw marks on Booths lock. Not the marks you see when someone has to put his key in the keyhole in the dark, but the marks you see when someone has tried to break in.

"Yeah." she said.

"You're sure the handyman that fixed his door, or the FBI didn't do this?" she asked, although she knew the answer. She just wanted to be sure.

"Honey, what would any of them want to do to the lock? The FBI just rammed the door, and the handyman just put it back in. No. This is the job of a clumsy burglar. Not a professional, but not quite an amateur either. I could've done a much better job." he said while standing up.

"Yeah dad, that's not really something you should say out loud." she answered while she opened the door.

"But I could've."

Once inside she closed the door and put the key into her pocket.

"I don't really see what you expect to find here, except for those marks on the door. We should have a professional tech-team take a look at that."

"We can do that later. First I want to check things myself. You never know what to find." Brennan rolled her eyes. Still, it was nice to be here. It was weird, but it was like she could almost feel his presence around here. 'Okay' she thought by herself 'that's just ridiculous. No one can be at two places at the time, and Booth is in jail.' And still, it felt nice. It was one of the first times she was here without Booth, so she took her time to, for the first time, really look at this place. There were several pictures on the wall of the place she was in now, the living room. Some of Parker, some of him and Parker together, even one of him and Jared. But there were also several group photos from him and the Jeffersonian team. The old team, when Zack was still one of them. And of course there was one of them together, just him and her. At first she didn't recognize the photo, but then she saw it was the one Angela had taken on one of the Jeffersonian galas. They had just been dancing together, laughing, when Angela had snapped the shot. Then, her eyes rested on the blanket on the couch and on the DVD-box on the coffee table and she smiled.

She then walked to the kitchen. She took a bag and opened his fridge. She'd better take the date-elapsing things with her, so Booth wouldn't have a fungus in his freezer when he got home. As she closed the fridge again, she noticed the picture patched on it with some magnets. It was a picture of her, Parker and Booth. It was taken a few months back. Parker and Booth had invited her for dinner and they had made a home-made pizza. It had almost turned out into a food fight, with Booth, Parker and Brennan all covered in tomato sauce, although if you'd ask them, they would all deny. That had been the deal, for you could not play with food. She smiled and turned back to the living room. She put the bag with food on the coffee table and said

"I'll just go and grab some things he might need while we're here." before she walked to Booth's bedroom.

Her father merely nodded and continued his snooping.

There she packed some clothes in a bag she found on the bottom of his closet. She put the bag on the bed and looked around. Whoever had been in Booth's apartment must also have been in his bedroom to plant the gun. She searched for anything that could prove someone else's presence besides her and Booth's, but found nothing, apart from a bible she packed. Then, her eyes fell on two other pictures on his bedside table. She slowly walked towards them, took the frames of the table and put herself on the bed. The first was one of her and Parker at the playground, the other of her and Booth. She had never seen this picture before. It showed the two of them at the diner, sitting across from each other, just laughing, stealing each other's fries and looking at each other. She wondered who had taken this.

"Honey, could you come in here for a minute please?" she heard her father call and interrupt her musings. Without thinking she put the two pictures inside the bag and went to the living room. There she put the bag next to the bag of food and went to stand beside her father.

"What's wrong?" Her father showed her a torn photograph. She recognized it immediately. It was another picture made at that pizza-night. After they had cleaned up Parker had insisted on another group photo so he could turn in his single-use camera to develop the pictures. It was another picture of her, Parker and Booth, but it was torn this way so she and Parker weren't on it anymore.

"Where did you find this?" she asked while she took the picture out of his hands.

"Be careful for fingerprints." he said. Only then she saw her father held the picture with a napkin. She carefully took it from him.

"In the corner over there." he said, pointing to the other side of the living room.

"Do you know who else was supposed to be on this photo?" he asked her.

"Why?" she asked, looking at her father. He didn't answer.

"Yeah of course, Parker and me." When she said this she saw something change on her father's face.

"What? What's wrong?"

"I need to check something." He said while he walked to the door. "I'll see you at your place. Let the FBI search this place further and ask them to take fingerprints of that photo."

"Why?!" Brennan called after him, but he had already disappeared.

**Just a big thank you for everyone who takes the time to read, favourite, alert and especially review!**

**You guys rock the world! (well, mine anyway)**


	16. Stalker

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Bones. Period. Full stop. End of story. NO it's not, keep reading ;)

_Stalker_

Even though she had no idea why, Brennan followed her father's instructions, and called Cullen. He promised to send a team in right away.  
When the techs arrived Brennan drove home, only to find her father already there.

"Dad, what's this all about?" she demanded.

"We should consider the fact that Agent Dasilva might be right."

"What?!" she shouted. She couldn't believe this. "No! No, Booth did not do this. How can you even say that?"

"I found the same scratches on your door as on Booth's." Her father said meaningfully, as if that explained everything. I just confused Brennan more.

"So…What does that mean?"

"It means that I think Dasilva is right about you being those dead women's role model. This could be the work of a stalker."

"OH…So you didn't think Booth…?"

"No." Max answered his daughter smiling. Again, she had jumped to conclusions. She just wanted to apologize when she realized something.  
Suddenly the expression on her face changed, but before Max could even ask anything she grabbed her phone.  
She waited anxiously for the person on the other end of the line to pick up the phone.

"Rebecca speaking."

"Rebecca. It's Temperance. Temperance Brennan."

"Of course, Dr Brennan. What could I do for you?" Rebecca asked, confused.

"You've been informed of Booth's arrest?"

"Yes." Brennan heard her sigh through the phone.

"Well, I guess I don't need to tell you he didn't do it. Someone who has been that close to Booth knows he would never do something like that."

A guilty silence stretched between them.

"Rebecca?" Brennan asked, wondering if the line might have been disconnected.

"Yes, sorry. So, you called me just to tell me this?" she asked, still curious why Seeley's 'partner' would only call her now, while she was already told of his arrest a few days ago.

"Well no. My father and I have been investigating the case as much as possible without actually being on the case, and we've just come up with a theory. I won't go into much detail, but we think it might be someone stalking me, who for some unexplainable reason wants Booth out of the way."

Well, Rebecca could think of a reason...or two.

"Well, I guess it's possible."

"Yes, I know. But that's not the reason I called. The reason I called is that when I went to pick some things up for Booth, I found a torn picture. It used to be a picture of Booth, Parker and me, but Parker and I were torn off. I have no idea why was Parker torn off as well, so I just... wanted to check if he was okay."

"Oh. Yes he's fine Dr Brennan. But it's good you called me."

"I know it might mean nothing, but..."

"No, you're right; better safe then sorry, I'll keep an extra eye on him."

"Good."

And another silence. " Say hi to Parker for me will you?"

"Of course Dr Brennan. And you wish Seeley my best."

"I will. Good night Rebecca."

"Good night."

Brennan closed her phone and suddenly saw her father staring at her, a huge smile plastered on his face.

"What?" she asked. Why was he smiling at her like that?

"Nothing." he answered, still smiling.

Before either could say anything else, Brennan's phone vibrated in her hand.

"Brennan." she said, although she had a slight idea on who it might be. She wasn't to be disappointed.

"Hey Bones." she heard him say, and just like yesterday, and the day before, she was happy she heard his voice.

"Hey Booth." she breathed. She glanced at her father and walked to her bedroom, where his bag was sitting on her bed.

The pictures that this morning had been on his bedside table were now on hers.

"Caroline told you about her little plan?" she asked.

"Yeah." he paused "I don't like it."

"I knew you wouldn't. I didn't either, but if it stops them from killing you, I don't really care." She could hear him smile through the phone. "Dad found something at your apartment."

"What?" he asked, hopeful.

"Signs of a forced entry. I called Cullen; techs are checking your apartment as we speak."

"Cullen? What does he have to do with this?"

"I went to see him the day before yesterday. He doesn't believe you did it either."

"Really?" He sounded as surprised as she had been.

"Yeah. Plus, I also told him that if you get convicted for these murders I won't work with the FBI anymore."

"You blackmailed the Deputy Director of the FBI?" Booth piped through the phone.

Brennan smiled. "I guess I did."

He laughed. "Thanks Bones."

"You're welcome." she said.

They fell into a well known comfortable silence. Brennan almost thought it was just a normal phone call before her mind reminded her that it wasn't. Booth was still in jail.

"You know what I was thinking about?" Booth asked, breaking the silence.

"It's impossible for me to know Booth." she said, still amused.

"That first day you went into the field with me." Booth said. "You blackmailed me into taking you."

"I remember." Brennan laughed. "You didn't like it."

"No, and I guess Cullen didn't either. You shouldn't make a habit out of blackmailing the FBI Bones."

She just laughed. Her spirit was much lighter than it had been the entire day. There was another silence.

"Dad found something else at your place." she said.

"What?" she could hear he was alarmed now. He knew there had to be reason she waited so long to tell him, it couldn't be good news.

"A photograph. You know that last photograph of the time you and Parker asked me to dinner."

"Which time?" he asked snickering.

"That time with the pizza." she said chuckling.

"Oh yeah. What about it?" he was serious again.

"It was torn. Parker and I were torn out of the picture. And since there are also signs of a break-in at my place, dad thinks Dasilva is right. That I am the role model for those women. Hethinks it's a stalker gone wild."

Silence.

"Booth?"

"Why didn't I think of that? And Parker was torn off too?" he asked worried for the two most important people in his life, his son and his partner.

"I called Rebecca just a minute ago, To make sure. I told her to keep an extra eye on him though. I mean, you never know"

"You called Rebecca?" he asked, his voice soft, holding something she couldn't immediately recognize.

"Yes. She wishes you her best. I know it's unlikely that the stalker would go after Parker too, but I didn't feel like taking chances."

She heard him smile through the phone.

"Thanks Bones."

"You don't need to thank me Booth. Parker is a great kid. I feel myself caring for him too."

"I know Bones. That's why I'm thanking you."

She smiled and they were silent for a while, until Booth suddenly broke.

"How could I've missed this?" he asked himself.

"Booth, you couldn't have foreseen this. You didn't have the facts we had."

He sighed. "Yeah but still. I thought Dasilva was just being ridiculous; I never even gave it a thought that those women could really be replacements for you. "

"It's not a big deal Booth, I…"

"No Bones, it is." he said firmly. "This guy is crazy. Today he's killing strangers, but tomorrow he could be killing you."

"Booth, I can take care of myself." Brennan tried to assure him.

"I don't care Bones, I don't trust this. I don't want you to be alone either. Can't you ask Max to stay with you for now?"

"Booth, I don't need to be babysat. I really don't see the point…"

"A personal favor?" Now that was not fair. Booth knew how to get her to do as he wanted, just by pushing the right buttons. Though if Booth took the time to think of how many favors he owed Brennan, he would realize that he was indebted to her for the rest of his life. Not that he cared.

She sighed. "Okay, fine, I'll ask him."

He sighed too, relieved. "Thanks Bones. I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to you." Another pause "Eh Bones, I have to go."

Brennan watched her watch. Had it already been five minutes? "Okay Booth." she said. "And…I couldn't face something happening to you either."

"I'll call you tomorrow Bones. Sleep tight and be careful."

"Sleep tight Booth." she said, and she hung up

Slowly she walked back to her living room.

"How is Booth?" her father asked.

"Worried. I shouldn't have told him about the picture."

"He was going to find out anyway honey, and he would want to know."

"He is just worried about me now, instead of about his own situation. How can that help?"

"It's only normal to be worried about those you love honey." she didn't respond.

After a while she said. "He asked me to ask you to stay here for a while. Like I can't protect myself."

"I'd love to." Max said, ignoring her last comment. Brennan watched her phone again.

"I doubt they'll find something else in the apartment sweetie." Max said, understanding she was waiting for news.

"Whoever did this wasn't stupid. I doubt the FBI will find something beside those scratches on the door. They didn't find any prints on the picture, so I doubt they'll find some somewhere else. And you know this is not enough to get Booth out. This just proves someone broke into your apartments. It could have nothing to do with this."

Brennan nodded.

She knew all of this, and it irritated her. "Yeah. And from what I've heard Dasilva probably won't search into it properly anyway. I just hope Sully gives this a chance."

"You have mentioned that Sully-guy quite often now. Who is he exactly?"

"Now dad, not you to. Caroline already went down that road. It's not because Sully used to be my partner and we used to date that he isn't doing this investigation properly."

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, why did you break it off with that Sully guy?"

"He…He asked me to go and sail around the world with him. And I just couldn't leave." she explained. "But again, that doesn't mean his judgment is compromised towards this case."

"I don't know honey. I mean, he could be your stalker."

"What?! No dad, that doesn't make any sense."

"Doesn't it? He is mad at you for not going with him, and he is mad at Booth for giving you a reason to stay. A guy could lose his mind over that."

"Booth wasn't the reason…" But she stopped half-sentence. It had finally hit her. First Caroline, now her father. What if they were right, and Sully was jealous of Booth?

She snatched her keys from the counter and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" Max asked, although he could guess. She didn't answer. Max sighed.

That was the second time she ran off like that. He could only imagine how she had been as a teenager. Maybe he should just keep his mouth shut the next time.

**Again, thanks for reviewing people!**

**A special thank you to Mustanggirlz07 for the idea of bringing Parker in, to Saorsa for her suggestions and, as always, prepared to correct in such short notice, and to Lola Bunny No. 1. I hope you enjoyed your trip. :)**

**This one was for you guys!**

**Hit the button! :)  
**


	17. Impulsively

**Disclaimer**: Bones does not belong to me. I'm the proud owner of it's DVD-boxes, but that's as far as it goes.

**16. Impulsively**

She just got in her car and drove off. She didn't even know where he lived now. What exactly was she going to do? Fact was, she didn't care. So she just drove to the harbor and searched for a boat she had not seen in over two years. 'Temperance'. How could she not have seen this?! All the signs were there. But it was something emotional, so that was actually more Booth's area of expertise. She walked to the dock and hesitated when she reached the boat. 'How do you knock on a boat' she though irritated. Screw it; she wasn't in the mood to be polite anyway. So she climbed aboard.

"Sully!" she just yelled. He came up immediately, only dressed in boxers although it was only nine. She didn't even notice.

"Tempe, what's wrong?"

"Why are you back?" she shouted.

"What?" he asked confused.

"Why are you back?" she asked again, calm now.

"I…I just had enough of travelling. I wanted to settle down again."

"Why here?"

"Because this is everything I know. Everyone I know and care about lives in this city."

"Who? Who exactly did you came back for?"

"Temperance, what's this all about?"

"Who?"

"My family, my friends…you." This did not touch her as it should have.

"You think Booth is the reason I didn't go with you?"

Sully, who had accepted the fact he had to answer her questions before she answered his, nodded. "I think we both know he is."

"So you needed him out of the way? You're angry at me so you murder those women. You're angry at Booth so you let him take the blame. It that it?"

"What?!" Sully asked. He had not seen this one coming.

"No! Of course not." he was getting mad now. "How can you even think that?! Booth has been arrested for murder, and you think I did it? We have proof!"

"Someone broke into Booth's place. Someone could have easily taken the gun, and the hair and everything, killed the women and put it back into Booth's place."

"And you think that someone is me?!" Sully asked incredulous. "I love you Temperance. I would die or kill to protect you, but I would never murder someone for you. You should know that. I thought you knew me."

It was silent for a while. Now Brennan really lost it. Tears sprang to her eyes.

"I don't know what to think anymore." she admitted while she sunk down onto the floor. Sully sat beside her and put his arm around her shoulders as she cried. "I'm sorry." she sobbed.

"Shh…" he tried to calm her. "It's alright."

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I just can't face the possibility of Booth getting the death sentence." she said. "He's my best friend."

"He is a little more than just your partner and best friend, don't you think?"

She thought back to the words she and Sully had exchanged in her office at the beginning of all this. She thought he had misunderstood her back then. Turns out she had misunderstood herself. She looked up at Sully as she croaked.

"Yeah…Yeah, he is."

But she didn't know what that meant.

**A very short chapter, especially compared to the previous one, I know. I just thought this was where it should end.**

**As always, review please :)  
**


	18. Confused

**Disclaimer**: Nope, Bones still isn't mine

**17. Confused**

She couldn't sleep that night. Again. The things she had said to Sully kept mulling through her mind. Of course she had apologized, and he, the gentleman he was, had accepted them. What did she do to deserve people like this? People like Angela and Sully. And Booth.

But that wasn't what kept her awake. It was the realization she had had on Sully's boat earlier that did. What was Booth to her, if not her best friend and partner?

She threw the sheets of her, turned on her back, her side, her stomach, her other side, put the sheets back over her, then turned back to her side. Eventually she sat up and put the light on her bedside table on.

She looked at the picture of her and Parker, and smiled. He was such a wonderful boy. He often reminded her of Booth, when he said or asked something, or just when he was watching television. He was so much like his father. She put the picture back on her night table and took the other one, the one of her and Booth. As she looked at it, she tried to find something. Something that would explain the warm fuzzy feeling she got when she saw it. Something that could explain the look that was on her face, the look on his face. She just stared at the photograph for a long time, even tried to study it from an anthropological side of view. And then it hit her. OMG it hit her. But…but…

She needed Booth's advice on this. She needed the advice of a heart-person.

And for the second time this week she got out of bed, put a vest over her tank top, and got to her car.

That's how she ended up at Angela's front door at two in the morning. She knocked at the door. No answer. She knew this was ridiculous and Angela probably would be asleep, but she didn't care. She needed her. Angela would understand. Another knock. Maybe she should just use her spare key. She knocked once more. Still no reaction. Just when she decided to use her key, the door opened. A sleepy Angela appeared in the doorway, her hair sticking into every possible direction.

"Sweetie, have you any idea how late it is?" she asked her best friend groggily.

"About two I think." Brennan answered, not realizing it was a hypothetical question.

"Yeah." Angela sighed sleepy. "And what are you doing at my door at two in the morning?"

"I need your help Ange." Brennan said. At this Angela's eyes shot more open.

"Of course. Sweetie, sorry come in." she said as she stood aside so Brennan could enter. There had to have happened something pretty bad if Brennan would show up in the middle of the night asking for her help. "What's wrong?" Angela asked as she sat across from Brennan on the couch.

"I miss Booth Angela." Brennan admitted, and for the second time that evening, tears sprang to her eyes. Angela got up and sat beside her friend, hugging her and making comforting sounds. She had wondered when this would happen. When her best friend would fall apart. The way she was handling this just wasn't normal. No person could keep it up like that.

"I know Sweetie. We all miss him. I miss him too." Angela said.

"No…" Brennan sobbed. "This is different. I mean, I miss you when you're not here too, but I miss you different." Angela didn't understand what Brennan was saying.

"What do you mean Bren?"

Brennan sobbed and looked her best friend in the eyes when she said something she should have realized much sooner. All the signs had been there.

"I think I'm in love with Booth, Ange. I think I love him and I don't know what to do. I'm scared."

And this was the last thing Angela Montenegro expected to hear on a very early Thursday morning.

***if you're ever woken by your friend banging at your door, copy this***

**Sorry I haven't updated in a while, I had to write this paper and... well, actually that's my only excuse.**

**I'm also very sorry I haven't found the time to reply to all the reviews or PM's I received. I really do appreciate them!  
**


	19. Realisation

**Disclaimer****:** To own or not to own, that's the question. Or not in my case, since I do not, and never will own Bones.

_18. Realisation_

She had tried not to squeal, given Brennan was already pretty shaken, but what did you expect? She had been waiting for Brennan to say this for over 5 years. So she just hugged her friend a little closer while she had a little mini-squeal. There would be time for a proper one later.

"Ow honey this is huge." Angela said. "I know you're scared, but there is absolutely nothing to be scared of. This is something amazing, you'll see." She was completely awake now.

"I don't know Ange. I mean, I put my trust in him over evidence. I don't do something like that. I'm an evidence-person. I…" Her sentences were still interrupted by sobs. "I shouldn't be so convinced he didn't do it. I should keep an open mind. I should think about those women, slaughtered, and the truth to what their live came to at the end, good or bad."

Angela smiled a little smile. "You know. This reminds me of something. Something that happened during one of your and Booth's first cases. The son of the Venezuelan ambassador was found hanging in a tree in his private school."

"I remember." Brennan said, not knowing where her best friend was going with this.

"Yeah, well, you said the exact same thing you say about these women about that boy back then. According to you, everyone had a secret agenda, the school, his parents, even Booth. You thought you were the only one who wanted the truth. And at that time you were convinced that truth was that he killed himself."

"But he didn't. I was wrong."

"Yes you were. And Booth's gut was right. I asked you back then if you never just believed in something. Despite the evidence, just know that it's true."

"And I said no. I answered I hoped for things, but I always knew the difference between hope and facts."

"Exactly."

"But that doesn't prove anything but my point Angela. I don't see the difference anymore."

"And there's nothing wrong about that."

"Because Booth's gut was right back then?"

"Because the facts don't know everything sweetie." It was silent for while. Brennan was taking in her best friend's words.

"Just the fact that you now know you love Booth isn't going to change who you are or what you can do Bren. You have loved him longer then today, you just didn't realise it yet." Angela said after a while.

"But look at me Ange, I'm a wreck."

"Yes, and that doesn't matter."

"Yes it does Ange. This is not who I am."

"Of course it is honey. You have had this coming for years now, you had to break down at some point. It's about time. No one can be as strong as you pretended to be. No one has to." Angela tried to reassure her.

"I don't know what to do Ange." Brennan admitted ashamed. "I'm not good at this."

"Of course you are sweetie. You know what to do. Who is the first one you go to when you need advice about something?"

"Booth." Brennan said immediately without a doubt.

"Exactly. And who is the one that always makes you feel better?"

"Booth." Brennan had to answer again.

"And of whom are you sure that he will never run, never leave you, no matter what?"

"Booth."

"See honey. And what was the first thing that jumped in your mind when you realised you loved him?"

Brennan looked up at her best friend.

"Talk to Booth."

Angela smiled. "See. You do know what to do."

"But what if he doesn't feel the same way?" Brennan voiced her deepest fear.

"Ow Sweetie, of course Booth loves you. He has been in love with you for years. He loves you more then his own life."

"Then why hasn't he ever said anything?"

"Because he didn't want to scare you away. He loves you so much that he could wait. Even if there was a chance that you would never feel the same, he could wait."

That sounded logical, even Brennan had to admit that.

"Thanks Ange." she sobbed, drying her tears. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"You're kidding me right? I would've never talked to you again if you hadn't. I've been waiting for you to say this for five years."

Brennan smiled at her best friend.

"So Bren, you want to crash here tonight?" Angela asked after a while.

"I guess I already did." Brennan and Angela both laughed.

"No sweetie, I meant if you want to stay the night?"

"That's not necessary Ange. I'm fine." Brennan said as she stood. Angela grabbed her hand.

"I know sweetie, but I'm offering it anyway."

Brennan looked at her best friend and asked herself one more time what she had ever done to deserve a friend like Angela.

"I'd love to Ange."

Five minutes later, lying in Angela's guestroom Brennan realised something. Earlier this evening she had wondered what Booth was to her. She knew now.

He was her best friend, and her partner…but also so much more…so much more. He was her everything.

**Thanks for the reviews everyone! They made my day!**

**And thanks a lot to my Beta Saorsa, for bringing in some very good ideas!**

**# and also a thank you to Lola Bunny No 1 for noticing and correcting a little mistake that still managed to sneak in.**


	20. Photograph

_Disclaimer_: I do not own Bones

_20. Photograph._

After a quick breakfast at Angela's Brennan drove home to shower and change. Her father was still there, much to her surprise.

"There you are." he said.

"Hey dad. I'm sorry, I totally forgot you were here."

Her dad smiled. "No worries. You sounded in a hurry last night. Is everything okay?"

Brennan smiled. "Yeah dad, everything's fine. I just had to talk with Angela about something."

Max nodded. That was all he needed to know. "Well honey, I was just leaving. I've got a group of kids coming to the museum today, so I'll get going."

"Okay dad." she answered. "Thanks for staying."

"Anytime honey. Say hi to Booth for me, will you?"

"I will." and with that, her dad walked out.

Brennan walked back to her bedroom and got Booth's bag. Then she headed out for the Hoover building, completely forgetting to shower and change in her haste to see her partner.

As expected she had to leave Booth's things with an agent. She quickly pulled out the Bible and went to get a coffee. At what had become her usual spot, with full hallway-view, she waited.

Half an hour later Dasilva and Sully walked out of the interrogation room. They passed her on the way to their office, and she could have sworn Sully's eyes had rested on her for a minute, before they'd passed her.

She quickly crossed the hall and entered the interrogation room.

"Bones!" Booth said pleasantly surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Sneaking in." she explained as she pulled him into a 'guy-hug'. It was only then she realized his hands were still cuffed behind his back. "You have to keep those on all the time, even when they interrogate you?"

"I'm fine Bones, really. It's not that bad. I understand…. I think. I mean, for all they know I'm a cop who killed three defenceless women."

"We don't know they were defenceless. It's not because they are women, that they are automatically defenceless." Bones pointed out as if they weren't about to be caught any moment and she wasn't breaking any laws.

Booth smiled a little smile. "Not the point Bones, but you're right. It's not because you're a woman that you can't defend yourself. You're the living proof of that."

Brennan did not respond, just looked at the cuffs again. "They can't do this!"

Booth shrugged. "Sure they can. They even put me in my own cuffs. They said it seemed right. It just seems ironic to me." he said, trying to lighten the mood, but failing by his bitter smile.

"So, you're wearing your own cuffs?"

"Yeah."

"Well, in that case…" Brennan said as she pulled a key from her pocket. Booth always wondered how she did that. She had so many keys, several for the lab, her car, her apartment,… and still she always managed to get the right one at once without looking. It was only when he felt her tinkering with the cuffs that he realised what she was doing.

"Bones, what do you think you're doing? You can't just release a murder suspect!"

"I'm not, I'm just giving you a break." And Booth had to admit, it felt good to move his arms from behind his back and stretch a little.

"Well, whatever you're calling it," he said, taking the cuffs from her "I'm pretty sure it's illegal."

"It's not good for you to sit like that all the time. It's bad for your back."

"Fine. I'll put them on in front of me then."

Brennan looked into his eyes, took the cuffs back from him, and cuffed his hands before him. That felt…wrong on so many levels.

"How did you get that key anyway?" Booth asked as she put it back in her pocket.

She smiled. "You gave it to me. That day my dad cuffed me to the bench and you had to choose between me and your suspects. You said you hated that situation and never wanted to have to make that choice again. So you gave me a key for your cuffs. Just in case."

Booth winced when she called her brother and father 'suspects'. Yeah, that was what they had been, but… She was right. He had not liked that situation. Not at all, but not for the reasons she's just mentioned. He hadn't needed to choose between his partner and his suspects, he had had to choose between doing his job and not betraying her. That had been the real twitch. "And you keep it with you all the time? Even after all this time? I even forgot you had it." He said.

"It's no use to me in my office Booth. Besides you were right. Just in case." she said as she sat down across from him.

This was just weird. He was not supposed to sit at that side of the table, cuffed. He smirked "Aren't I always?"

Brennan smiled. "I assume that was sarcasm."

"Gee, thanks Bones."

They both laughed.

"So…?" Booth asked "Why exactly were you sneaking in?"

"I just… I had to talk to you Booth."

Booth smiled, pleased. "Yeah Bones, you know I would've called you tonight, right?"

"Yeah Booth, but this is not something I can tell you over the phone. Besides I had to give you something too."

His face turned serious. "What? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong Booth." she hesitated. "Are you sure you're okay? You've sat that way for a very long time."

"I'm fine Bones." he tried to reassure her. "Are you? Sorry, but you look like crap."

She smiled. "I had a long night?"

"How so?"

"That doesn't matter now Booth. Anyway, I'm fine. And I'll get you out of here. Rationally speaking…"

Booth cut her off. "Rationally speaking, I'm guilty Bones. The evidence proves I'm guilty."

"No." She said simply.

"Why do you of all people still believe in me while all the evidence proves I did it?" he asked, serious once more.

"'Cause I know you Booth." she paused. "And there will be a rational reason behind all of this."

Booth smiled. This was his girl. "Anything you aren't rational about?" He asked, still smiling.

"Yeah…Sully."

Booth's face changed. "Ow, great. Sorry if I'm not really happy with the guy right now, but he's trying to nail me for murder so…"

"Rationally speaking, I should've gone with him on that boat. Rationally speaking… but I couldn't."

He was uncomfortable now. "Yeah, well, Gordon Gordon said…"

"Gordon Gordon was wrong. I didn't want him to be, but he was. I stayed because of you."

It was silent for a while until they heard something outside the door. She quickly put the bible on the table. He hadn't even noticed she had it with her until then.

"I brought you this," she said "because people find hope in what they believe."

He smiled and reached out to open it, but she put her hand on his to stop him. He looked into her bright blue eyes while she continued.

"I believe in myself, and in my power to get you out of here. But most of all, I believe in you. That time with Kenton… the Grave Digger… every time I believed in you."

He rolled his eyes. "So I'm a hero, not a murderer. That'll do great in court Bones."

" I didn't say that." Brennan said as she stood and walked to the door. She then turned, smiled, looked at her partner in every meaning of the word. "But you're my hero."

At that exact moment Sully opened the door. "Temperance, you really have to…" she just nodded.

"I know. Thanks Sully." He nodded and looked at Booth's hands, which were suddenly cuffed before, instead of behind his back. 'Great' he thought, 'now she's really breaking the law for him'.

She was about to turn when she spotted Dasilva coming around the corner. He seemed deep in thought, though the moment he saw her, a smile curved his lips and his eyes narrowed. "Dr Brennan." he greeted her, closing the last few feet between them. "What a surprise." he shot an evil look towards Sully but unlike what Dasilva was expecting, he didn't look away. 'Huh…Seemed like this guy had some spine in him after all.'

Brennan was still for a moment, afraid she had gotten herself, Sully or even worse Booth in trouble, but before anyone could notice she regained her posture. "I demand to know why Booth has to remain cuffed during the interrogation." She said sounding a lot more confident then she actually felt.

"With all due respect Dr Brennan, I don't see how this concerns you."

"Booth's my partner!"

"Really? Is that really all he is?"

Lying would be easy. After all, she had only realised her true feelings for Booth a few hours ago. And still she could not say the words anymore. "Don't make me see Cullen about this." she tried to threaten.

"By all means, go and see Cullen Dr Brennan. I'll even accompany you to inform him of the fact that you sneaked into a federal interrogation room without jurisdiction."

She was about to say something about the fact Sully had seen her, but quickly changed her mind. She didn't want him to get in trouble too.

"Back off, Dasilva." Booth suddenly growled from his chair in a menacing tone.

"Hit a nerve Agent Booth? Don't worry, I won't sue your precious doctor." He paused, turning back to Brennan.

"You see now Dr Brennan why we keep your 'partner' cuffed?"

"No." she said coldly. "Booth is not a threat to anyone."

"I won't be so sure of that. If I could only…" Booth muttered under his breath, still loud enough for everyone to hear.

"And certainly not a threat to me." Brennan continued. Dasilva smiled again. Oh, how happy she would be to wipe that smirk off his face.

"And why certainly not to you Dr Brennan? It brings me back to my earlier question: is he really just your partner?"

"You're forgetting that this is not an interrogation Agent Dasilva. If you want me to answer your questions, you either arrest me, or have me escorted to an interrogation room. But I would advise against it."

Dasilva's eyes narrowed again. "Are you threatening me Dr Brennan?"

"No. I'm simply giving you your options. Special Agent Booth is one of the best agents in this office. He's innocent until court and evidence decide otherwise. And you will treat him like that." When she finished her little speech she looked Dasilva right in the eyes. They both tried to stare the other one down, but when Dasilva saw something move in the corner of his eyes, he turned to look.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked Sully who was uncuffing Booth. Booth looked surprised but rubbed his wrists nonetheless.

"My job." Sully answered, looking at his partner.

Dasilva turned back to Brennan, who at least had the decency to try not to look smug. He inhaled, obviously trying to calm himself. "Wel,l Dr Brennan. Your request has been granted. Anything else?"

"I guess asking for his release would be pushing things too far?"

Dasilva's face hardened. "You know that's not an option."

"Then I guess one of us should at least get back to solving .?docid=17044766e case seeing as you would rather waste your time following a cold lead. And you know it." With that she took a look over her shoulder at Booth, before turning around, nodding at Sully, and walking down the hallway.

While Dasilva hissed something at Sully before walking away, Booth looked after his partner in confusion. 'What had that been all about? Why did she get herself in so much trouble just to give him this bible? And why, when Dasilva had questioned her, had she ignored his question about them just being partners? People asked them that question all the time. And she answered them the 'just-partners' line all the time. So what had changed?' Absentmindedly he slowly opened the Bible. And when he looked at it and saw the picture that used to be on his nightstand. He had the answer to all of his questions. It was the picture of the two of them at the diner, one of his favourites. He smiled. And for some unexplainable reason, probably his gut, he flipped the photograph. His smile only grew wider when at the back of the photograph he saw a message in her perfect little handwriting

_So this is what love looks like?_

Booth smiled again to himself. Always trust your gut.

**I know, I know, it's been ages since I last updated and I'm very very sorry. Feel free to throw tomatoes at me in your reviews. :)**

**The first week I found out that Belgian internet connections and snow are not best friends. And since I don't run a business of some kind, the internet-company felt like reconnection me "wasn't a priority". Well it sure as hell was a priority to me!**

**And then the second week I went skiing in Austria...or at least, that was the plan, but right before we left we got a call to tell us there was something wrong with our reservation. After apologizing for ten minutes they offered us a place in their other facility...in France. Yeah, that didn't make sense to me either, but there was snow, so no complaints here, except there was no internet connection there either!**

**Well, one advantage about living without internet for two weeks was that I completely rewrote the upcoming chapters. At least I though it to be an advantage, but I guess it wasn't really for updating, since I forgot I had to have them re-betad. Hence the other week.**

**So a big thank you to Lola Bunny No. 1. and Saorsa for betaing and to everyone who after all this time still took the time to read.**

**I missed your reviews, so...push that little green button please :)**


	21. Sides

_Disclaimer:_ Bones belongs to FOX and Hart Hanson. If I had a few million to spare, I'd by it, but since I don't...

_21. Sides_

Booth had been confused after his partner had left.

Did this mean what he thought it meant, or was he just seeing and hearing things he wanted to see, wanted to hear? Though, could you really misinterpret what she had just said? Then again, what she had said and what he had heard might be very different things.

He was so lost in his thoughts that he totally forgot Sully was in the room. He just kept looking at the picture and the seven words written on the back of it. He couldn't believe it. It had meant the world to him to see her here, completely convinced of his innocence even though everything pointed to him being guilty. But this…he hadn't even expected this without the murder charge above his head.

He had dreamed of it, yes, but he had been convinced she did not return his feelings. And why would she? He did not deserve her. Sure, he did not commit these murders, but there had been others, and he paid for that every day of his life. He did not want her to pay with him. She deserved someonebetter .

"I hope for your sake you didn't do this Booth." Sully suddenly broke Booth's train of thought. "She deserves better."

Booth looked his former(?) friend in the eye as he answered. "I didn't. And I know. She deserves the best."

"Well, yeah, apparently you'll just have to do." Sully smiled a half smile. "You're a lucky guy Booth. I would happily take that murder charge if I could have her too."

"Yeah, well, I'm not sure I have her, even with the murder charge."

"Who are you trying to kid here? Of course you do. You've had her for years. Do you think I didn't know the bond between the two of you was deeper than hers and mine, even when I dated her?" Sully sighed. "Do you really think I didn't know why she hadn't come with me?"

"It's Bones we're talking about. She was just scared of the commitment, that's all. You don't have to search for anything else behind her actions."

But how many times had he done that? How many times had he asked himself, had he almost asked her why she hadn't left? How many times had he imagined her saying to him that she stayed because of him? And now that she finally had, he couldn't believe it.

"I'm not. You know she came to my boat yesterday evening." Booth looked alarmed; did he really want to hear the rest of this story? "To accuse me of murder."

"What?" Booth asked, shocked. Sure, Sully wasn't on his Christmas present list anymore, but accusing him of murder was as stupid as… as stupid as accusing Booth of murder.

"Yeah. She thought I murdered those women because I was mad at her for not coming with me, and mad at you for giving her a reason to stay." Wow…just wow. He had to let this sink in for a minute. Sully continued nevertheless. "After everything she still believes in you."

"Why?" Booth knew there was only one person that could answer that question, and she was not even in the room, but he found himself asking it out loud anyway.

"Because she loves you. How much I wish she didn't, but she does."

Booth looked back at the picture he was holding. It was one of his favourites. He had gotten it from a waitress at the diner. "Time to see what's right under your nose." she had said. Little did the girl kno wthat he knew exactly what he had under his nose: trouble. She was his partner for crying out loud. There was this line, that didn't even had to be there, since she didn't return any of his feelings. At least that's what he had thought. He sighed.

"I need to get out of here. I need to talk to her."

Sully smiled. "Yeah…Well, that's not gonna happen anytime soon."

Okay, what was going on here? First Sully arrested him for murder, seemingly convinced he did it, then he helped him, telling him Bones loved him, and now he was acting all bad cop again. Sure, he could understand the man's feelings towards him after what happened between him and Bones, but he was not prepared to apologize for that. He didn't even know what 'that' was yet. But Sully's next words quickly explained his earlier comment.

"Dasilva isn't really on your side here Booth. I mean, we've just partnered up, but the guy loves attention. And what could be a better way to get attention than to arrest the bureau's best agent who turned out to be a serial killer?"

Booth sighed.

"Yeah, so you see why he isn't really on your side here."

Booth swallowed. "Are you?"

"Am I on your side?" Sully shrugged. Taking the bible from the table, but leaving the picture, he opened the door. "I'm on hers. So… I guess I'm stuck with you too then."

And with that he left Booth to his confusing thoughts.

**I know, I know,... I promised to update more frequently, and here I am, updating after God knows how many weeks...**

**I won't bore you with any excuses any more, or any promises, 'cause they seem to bring me bad luck.**

**Anyway, people have been asking for a Booth-chapter for a while now, so this is for them. Tell me what you think about it. :)  
**

**Also, a big thank you to my beta, Lola Bunny No 1!**

**And OMG, I can't keep it for myself, the ending of that 100th episode... (little spoiler)**

**s**

**p**

**o**

**i**

**l**

**e**

**r  
**

**how sad was that!?! I mean, they cannot do that to us! I was crying like a baby, seriously! Now things will just get weird, and we'll keep waiting 'till she changes her mind and then there will be another reason wh they can't be together and... aargh!**

**Sorry for the ramble people, but Hart Hanson just broke my heart (along with Booth's if I might add!)  
**


	22. Lucky

_22. Lucky_

She had been working late again. It was over eight now, so most people had already gone home and she had the lab to put her lab coat on, got the box with bones she had brought with her from bone storage this morning and walked out of her office to the platform. She started to organise the bones when her phone rang. She knew who it would be, but unlike every other night Booth had called, she was not looking forward to this conversation.

"Hi Booth." she said as she answered it.

"Hi." he just said.

And there was silence.

"Booth, could we not talk about what happened earlier?" she pleaded.

"We have to talk about it eventually Bones." he said softly.

"I know, but I don't want to do this over the phone." She heard Booth sigh a little.

"Okay."

"Thanks."

It was silent for a minute. Brennan used the time to put the bones out on the table.

"So… What are you doing?" Booth asked then.

"Working." she said simply as she bent over the bones.

"Bones! No wonder you looked so beaten up. You've got to take care of yourself. Have you been eating enough?" he questioned her.

"Booth, I can take care of myself. I'll get something to eat later." Now, this was how things were supposed to be.

"No Bones, it's passed eight. You've got to eat!"

Now where had she put the file? As she turned she saw the file, but as she opened it she noticed it was not the file from her Limbo-case. It was the one of the pregnant women. She didn't hear what Booth said next.

"Bones, are you even listening to me?"

"Euhm, Booth, I've got to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"No, Bones wait…" she disconnected the line.

She carefully looked around, then, when she saw there was no one there, she took the file and went to her office.

"I thought you might still be here." Max said as he put his head around the door of his daughter's office.

She jumped when she heard him.

"Dad!" she piped. "I didn't hear you."

"Could that have anything to do with that file you're so engrossed in?" he asked as he walked to her desk and took a look at the file.

"No!" She said a little too quick as she tried to close the file.

"Is that the file of those murder victims from Booth."

"They're not from Booth." Her father just looked at her. That was not the point. "I…It…Yes." she admitted after a while."But I…"

"Did you find something?" her father asked as he came to stand behind her.

"I…No. Wendell did a good job. There is nothing here."

"Mmm…" her dad said. "Too bad I can't help you with this. This is way above my head. Where's that squint with the toaster head and oversized eyes when you need him?" Max said, while squinting at some x-rays he didn't understand anything about.

"That's it! Why didn't I think about that earlier?" Brennan yelped as she jumped up, got the file and her jacket and ran to the door. "Thanks dad!"

"For what?" he asked, but she was already gone. He sighed.

Had she just walked out on him again? Okay… now she was really doing it on purpose.

**okay, as you might have noticed, I decided to put the next few chapters up without having them beta-ed, in order to update more frequently.**

**Sorry for any possible spelling or grammatical mistakes. If they completely spoil the story, please tell me, and I'll go back to the old system.**

**And don't forget to review please ;)**

**= 06-09-2010: beta-d ;)  
**


	23. Help

_23. Help_

"Dr Brennan." Zack said again, surprised when he saw her sitting in the visitors rooms. "I know you said you were going to visit me more often, but I think you should really get some sleep first. You don't look so good."

"So I've heard." Brennan cut him off. "I need your help Zack."

"Of course." He said. Brennan smiled and put the file on the table.

"What's this?" he asked as he opened it.

"The file of the murders they think Booth committed."

"I thought you couldn't be on the case because of conflict of interests." Zack said as he looked up. "And I'm sure the new grad students you're now working with will be more than capable of solving this case with you Dr Brennan. After all, I know how difficult it is to become one of your grad students."

Brennan smiled guiltily. "I 'm not on the case actually."

"Then how did you get the file?" Zack asked confused.

"I was working and some one left the file at the platform and… you know, that doesn't really matter." Zack smiled.

"No it doesn't." He agreed. He got the x-rays out and held them against the light. "Gunshot to the head was cause of death?" he asked although he knew the answer.

"Yes, to all three of them."

"I don't know what we can find, since they don't seem to have any other injuries, but I knew that if there was someone that could find something, it would be you Zack." Zack looked flattered.

"Thank you Dr Brennan." he said as he himself bent over the file, like she had done for the past three hours.

For hours they just looked at the x-rays, read Hodgins' and Cam's report and studied Wendell's notes. Still, they couldn't find anything their co-workers had missed. Brennan looked up at her former grad student, who was still engrossed in the file. He was determined to find something, to not let her down. She smiled to herself. She missed Zack. Of course, she knew it was irrational because Wendell and Fisher and her other grad students did a great job but…they weren't Zack. There was only one Zack.

"Dr Brennan." He suddenly interrupted her musings. "I think I've found something."

"What?" she asked, bending closer to have a better look at what he was pointing.

"At the cross-cuts of the skulls" he said as he pointed. "The bullet didn't hold a straight course."

"It rarely does." Her voice asked for further explanation.

"Yes, but this course seems to bend to the right, what would be consistent with a left handed shooter. Isn't Booth right handed?"

"Yes Zack! Yes he is!" Brennan said enthusiastically. "Good job Zack."

Zack smiled slightly. Brennan was immediately lost in thoughts. Did she knew any left handed stalkerish people? Someone she might have met on one of her diggings… on a work-thing…a book signing? Wait…wasn't that Benny-guy that had asked her out left handed? Had he not written down his home number on the back of that card with his left hand? Yes! Yes he had!

"O My God" she whispered.

"What's wrong Dr Brennan?" Zack asked worried.

"I know who did it! I know who did it!" she said as she stood and pulled Zack into a hug. Zack was still looking at the X-rays.

"Your new grad student missed this?" He asked a little incredulous. Okay, it wasn't that clear to see, but…

"I missed it too Zack." Brennan said as she let go of him. "I guess that if Hodgins were here, he would call you King of the Lab."

Zack smiled. "More King of the Mental Institute, but thank you Dr Brennan." Brennan smiled down at him.

"I'm proud of you Zack. You were…are the most talented and intelligent grad student I ever had the privilege to educate. And I owe you for this."

"I still don't think this will be enough to prove Booth didn't do it Dr Brennan. Booth was trained as a sniper. He is able to shoot with his right as well as his left hand." Zack tried to reason.

"I know Zack, but now I know who did it, I'll be able to find more evidence. Evidence about the fact Booth is being framed."

Zack smiled at his role model. She hugged him again.

"Thanks Zack."

"You're welcome Dr Brennan." They smiled at each other, before Brennan took the file and headed out.

**I know, I might be overdoing it, two in one night, but since the last one was a bit short ;)**

**= 06-09-2010: beta-d  
**


	24. Disappointment

_24. Disappointment_

She drove straight to the Hoover building. It was around 12 PM, so realistically she knew there was a pretty good chance Cullen would be gone by now. But since when did she think rationally concerning this case? Besides, they didn't expect her to wait until the next morning with this, did they? Apparently they did; Cullen was gone, as was Sully and even Dasilva. Not that she would go to him with this.

Disappointed she drove home. She put the file on her dining room table, took a shower and went to bed. As expected she couldn't sleep. She might have the evidence that could prove Booth's innocence. She knew who did it, who killed those women, who wanted to kill her.

One am. She turned again. She needed Booth. She was scared. Not scared of Benny Bennet or what he might want to do to her. Although Booth's presence might have reassured her in that case too, although she would never admit it. No, she was afraid for what was about to happen when Booth got out. He was right, they had to talk about it eventually.

Two am. She turned again. For one of the first times in her life, she was afraid. Afraid that her partnership, her friendship, everything important she knew was going to change. And she was afraid she couldn't handle that.

Three am. Another turn. What if things didn't work out? She had never been in a real relationship before. Not in the way she and Booth would be in anyway. What if she messed up?

Four am. She didn't think he would leave her, but everything would change. They would change. And…she didn't knew if she could face that.

Five am. Maybe she had been wrong, maybe it had been wrong to tell Booth. There was no going back now. No second chance.

Six am. She sighed and sat up. She wasn't going to get much more sleep anyway. She rubbed her eyes and made up her mind. Dr Temperance Brennan was not one to have second thoughts. She was a genius forensic anthropologist. She rarely made mistakes, and if she did, she faced them. She had made her decision, and she was going to face the consequences. Good or bad.

She got up and dressed. She was to nervous to eat anything. She just took the file and headed out to the Hoover building. It was still dark, but she saw the lights in Cullen's office on. She parked her car, not caring whose place she took, in this case, places. She knocked briefly on Cullen's office door. His secretary wasn't there yet. But before Cullen had the chance to react, she threw the door open.

"Dr Brennan." he said surprised. "To what do I owe this very early visit?"

"I know who did it!" she exclaimed. He just stared at her, then motioned her to sit down and explain. She sat and put the file on the table.

"How did you get that?" he asked.

"That doesn't matter."

"Of course it does! Everything you found is useless if it's based on that file!" He said irritated. Damn squints, didn't they know this?

"It doesn't matter." She repeated, looking him in the eyes. She took out the skull x-rays. "The bullet didn't go a straight course." she said, pointing.

"It never…"

"It has a slight deviation to the right, which is consistent with a left handed shooter. Booth is right handed." Cullen was silent for a moment. He stared at the x-rays, on which he didn't see anything that she had just explained. He was just thinking.

"Dr Brennan." he said, all hope gone in his voice. She must be really desperate if she thought this was going to get him out. "Agent Booth is the best shooter I have. He is trained to use as well his right, as his left hand."

"I know." she interrupted him impatiently. "But it got me thinking if I knew a left handed person who had shown interest in me. Who could be possibly stalking me."

"Dr Brennan…" Cullen tried again.

"No! I know someone like that." She got a business card out of her pocket and showed it to Cullen. "Mr Bennet attends all my books signings, all my publishing parties, everything I attend."

"I'm sure you have a lot of dedicated fans who do exactly the same thing. Doesn't Booth attend every one of them too?"

"Yeah, but look!" she said as she turned the card. "I remembered him writing his home number on the back, with his left hand. It's him! I know it's him."

"Dr Brennan. A quarter of the population in DC is left handed and a fan of your books. I know you want to help Booth, I do too, but you stealing the file isn't helping."

"I didn't steal the file!" she said, jumping up. "And I know it's him. He asked me out the other day. He…" she stopped as she saw Cullen staring at her. Pitiful, as if she had lost her mind. "So you don't believe me?" she asked, calm.

"Dr Brennan, it has nothing to do with me believing you or not. I want Booth out of there as much as you do. But I cannot barge into someone's place without something concrete."

"You did with Booth."

"Because the evidence pointed against him. There is no evidence…"

"This!" she said as she pointed to the file and the x-rays. "This is evidence!"

"No, Dr Brennan it's not."

Brennan straightened. "Fine…Fine."

"Dr Brennan." Cullen sighed, but she had already turned.

"I'll solve this one on my own then."

**Since no one seemed bothered by not having the story beta-ed... here is another one ;)**

**Thanks for sticking to the story everyone!**

**And for the reviews of course! keep them coming! :)**

**= 06-09-2010: beta-d (thanks Lola Bunny No. 1 ;))  
**


	25. Author's note

**AN: Sorry if you got several mails today and just an AN and one chapter. I actually hadn't updated that long, that I forgot how to edit a chapter... I know, karma.**

**Again sorry if you thought this was a new chapter, it's coming I promise, I just needed to get something off my chest first.**

**I lost a really good friend yesterday. He was 22, studying to be a photographer and more a man of pictures than of words.  
He was going home one night when a driver snatched him off the side of the road and dragged him along, in front of his friends and classmates. At first his injuries didn't look so severe: they had to remove his spleen, he had a broken arm and some broken ribs, two broken dorsal vertebras, bruises all over the left side off his body, but he was going to be okay. They just didn't understand why he wouldn't wake up…until they got him into the scanner, which revealed a cerebral hemorrhage.  
Almost two months he was in that coma. After two long months of waiting, operations, more waiting and more operations the doctors told his brother he wasn't going to be okay. After two months of fighting to come back, yesterday morning, he finally lost.  
I like to believe he heard his brother, asking him for advice, not willing to end his life by turning off the machines, but not willing to let him suffer either. I like to believe he made his own choice.**

**The reason I'm telling you this, is because it happens every day. 8 years ago, all it took was one drunk driver for three kids to end up alone. This year, one nudge to hard on the accelerator and Shanaia lost her big brother. One moment of not paying enough attention on the road and Sven had to raise his little sister alone. One little bump on the front of that mighty jeep and Erik will never make another picture again. **

**And the drivers? They get a slap on the fingers and they walk. Judges, jury's, legal systems don't think about the victims who will never walk again. **

**This is a call to all of you: look around you, live by the day, 'cause yesterday is in the past, and tomorrow may never come. All it takes, is one nudge, one moment, one bump. **

**His moto was the popular line "a picture tells a thousand words". In this case, even a thousand words aren't enough. **

**Rest In Peace Erik. Ik ga u missen!**

**Sara**


	26. Benny Bennet

_25. Benny Bennet_

When she had come home, she had plopped down on her couch and she had waited. She had done that a lot this past week. And she hated it. She knew she actually had to be working, but she also knew she wouldn't be able to concentrate. And she hated that too. So she was just sitting at her place, doing nothing but wait.

At six she got up. Wasn't this the normal hour for normal people to get home from work on a Saturday evening? She thought Booth mentioned that once or twice to her. She got her purse, put her jacket on and headed out.

Twenty minutes later she stood in front of a modern new apartment building. The doorman, another fan of her, let her in with a smile, no questions asked, except for an autograph for his wife. She took the elevators to the ninth floor, and walked to apartment number thirteen. She knocked.

"One minute." she heard a man calling. What, did he have another body he had to stuff in his closet? A few moments later, the door opened, revealing a handsome man around his fourthies. "Dr Brennan." he said surprised. "This a welcome surprise. Come in." She smiled.

"Thank you Benny." she said as she stepped beside him. "I rethought your offer and decided to take you up on it anyway."

He just looked at her, confused.

"About going out?"

"Yes, yes of course I…" He said, motioning her to sit down.

"I didn't want it to be anything fancy, so I just thought I'd surprise you. But I'd understand if this is not the best timing." silence. She faked a hesitation. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have busted in here like this." she said, standing up again. "I should've called first."

He smiled. "No, Dr Brennan. Please. Stay. I just, euhm. Give me ten minutes."

She smiled again. "That sounds great."

"Okay, make yourself at home." Bennet smiled like he had just won the lottery. As soon as he disappeared in what Brennan expected to be the bathroom, her smile faded. She sure would.

She sighed, and got up. She looked around in the living room. Nothing out of the ordinary there. Just her books on the shelves, as expected. And what could she possibly find in the kitchen? So she just went on to the master bedroom. Her latest book on the night table, but that was it. Damn it. Where would Booth look next if he were here? Closets. She pulled the first one open, revealing black suits. Who- or whatever he was, he had good taste. She pulled a drawer open. It was full with coloured sock and ties. She took in a sharp breath. No way this was just coincidence. She looked further, but apart from that, there wasn't anything weird or out of the ordinary there. Maybe Cullen was right. Maybe she had been wrong. Maybe the socks and ties were just coincidence, maybe he was just a big fan and he happened to like colored socks. She closed the closet and turned.

"Can I help you with something Dr Brennan?" Benny suddenly asked, standing behind her. She was startled for a minute, but soon regained her posture.

"Yes. Actually, a confession would be nice." she said.

"A confession?" he asked confused. Before she or he for that matter could say anything else the door busted open, sending splinters from the frame flying through the living room.

"FBI! Hands where we can see them!" Several tough FBI-agents, all with bullet-proof vests and MP5's, quickly moved through the apartment and pushed Benny against the wall. The next to enter was Cullen with a big smile plastered on his face. Brennan smiled back.

"Thanks for the backup."

He nodded. "Let's just hope you're right about this."

"I am." she said in a convincing tone.

"Temperance?" Benny suddenly asked. "What's this all about?" She turned back to him.

"What this is all about? This is about you killing those women and framing my partner for it." She sighed. "You know, you almost got away with it. Except, you forgot this." she said, showing him the card.

"My card?"

"Yes. You wrote your home number on the back, and then I remembered, you wrote it with your left hand."

"I never wrote my number on that card. I couldn't have. I broke my left arm during a skiing trip a few months back. My arm was in a cast at that last book signing. Here, I can show you." Cullen nodded frowning and the agent holding Benny released him. Brennan and Cullen followed him into his bedroom. He opened Brennan's latest book and took out a picture that he was using as a bookmark. It showed him and Brennan at her latest book signing, his left arm in a cast. Brennan could hear Cullen's exasperated sigh behind her. She just took the picture from Benny and looked at it, not believing her own eyes.

"Besides, why would I write my home number on the back, when it's printed on the front?"

Brennan looked back at the business card, really looking at the front for the first time. And there it was. The number of his office, _and _his home number. She flipped the card back to the back, took out her cell phone and dialled the number.

"This number is no longer available." she repeated the automatic voice on the other side of the line.

"Well, Mr Bennet." she heard Cullen begin to apologize to Benny. She tuned out, stared at the picture and tried to go back and remember that day, the people she had met. Truth was, she couldn't. There had been so many people. She sighed and sat down on the bed. She didn't even realize Cullen gave her one last nasty look before motioning his agents out the door.

"Temperance?" she suddenly heard Benny.

"Oh God, Benny." she said, getting up. "I'm very sorry. Looks like I was incorrect. I will of course compensate any damage done to your apartment."

"It's okay." he smiling reassuringly.

"I just…" she trailed of. He looked at her expectantly.

"I've been under some pressure lately, and it's obviously affecting my judgement."

"It's fine, really. I understand."

"No, there must be some way for me to make this up to you." He hesitated for a while.

"Well, before you came over I was actually getting ready for a Brennanites-meeting."

"Oh no…" she sighed. When she saw he looked kind of hurt she quickly apologized. "I apologize. What was it you wanted to ask?"

"Well, we're discussing your latest book and it would be absolutely fantastic if you would accompany me. Of course, I understand if you have other obligations." He quickly reassured her.

'Great,' she thought 'just what I need. Another awkward event with all sorts of awkward questions surrounded by awkward people.' She was about to decline when she thought of something. 'What could be a better place to discover a stalker then in a group of fans?' So instead she answered: "I would love to."

"Really?" Benny asked, obviously excited.

"Yes." she answered simply.

"Well, let's go then. We're actually already a little late, but I think the others will forgive me given the person I'm bringing."

He paused, grabbing his jacket and helping her in her coat, before walking out. Brennan sighed before she followed him.

Here goes nothing.


	27. Brennanites

**Disclaimer**: Nope, still don't own Bones. If I did we wouldn't have to wait 4 freaking months for new episodes ;)

**_26. Brennanites_**

When she parked her car behind Benny's she was surprised to find herself at the parking lot of one of the larger cultural centres of the city. She followed Benny inside, and when she entered the room where the meeting would take place, she was actually stunned at how many people had showed up. Her presence did not stay unnoticed for long. Before anyone could say or do anything a shriek pierced the room.

"O My God, O My God, O My God! That's Dr Temperance Brennan!" a girl around her twenties squealed . Brennan actually winced at the volume this girl could produce. Angela could learn from her.

"I saw Dr Brennan earlier this evening and I, of course, invited her to our meeting tonight, and as you can see, she accepted." Benny quickly explained the situation, although Brennan was glad he left the FBI bursting his door bit out. Soon everyone was around her, shaking her hand, introducing themselves. She recognized most of them from her book signings, but there were also many new faces. She tried hard to remember everything. Every face, every name. But there were just so many. She quickly passed the women in the group. They were of no interest to her. When everyone started to move back to their seats she scanned the room.

'How on earth was she supposed to start her investigation here? What would Booth do in this situation?' She though to herself. She smiled when she practically heard his voice in her head. "Blend in."

"Dr Brennan." she suddenly heard a surprising familiar voice. She turned around only to see the agent that was on Booth's hockey team standing in front of her.

"Agent…" she said surprised, not remembering his name, nor feeling embarrassed for it.

"Lennox." he said, smiling, extending his hand."But call me Jimmy."

She smiled "Jimmy. I didn't know you were a fan of my books."

He smiled. " Well who isn't." she smiled back. "So, how is Booth doing? I heard you went to see him today."

Brennan smiled.

"I still can't believe…" his voice trailed of when her smile fainted. "Anyway, I guess we should go to our seats. The meeting was supposed to begin half an our ago. Although I guess your presence makes up for the delay." He smiled again. "It's nice to have you here Dr Brennan."

"It's good to be here." she said, smiling half-heartedly. She quickly went to sit next to Benny.

"Well," a man seated on the other side of the room, started. "First of all, I think I speak in name of all of us when I wish Dr Brennan welcome." He looked directly at her. "We're honored by your presence Dr Brennan."

Again, she heard Booth's voice in her head. "Charm them." "It's my pleasure." she said, flashing a brilliant smile.

The man smiled happily. "We were about to discuss the seventh chapter of your latest book Dr Brennan. The chapter where Andy proposes to Kathy."

Brennan nodded. Ow yes, she remembered that chapter. It was one of the most difficult chapters she had ever written. At the time she could not understand how anyone, especially someone with basic reasoning skills like Kathy could ever agree to such an archaic ritual like marriage. But she had tried to look at it from a different point of view. Booth had always seemed to believe in it. And when he talked about it, it wasn't about putting a claim over someone. It was about two people who wanted to show the world how much they loved each other, that they satisfied each other in every possible way, and that they wanted to be together forever. And even while she still believed forever was impossible to achieve, she could understand why people would try. So later in the book Kathy had accepted Andy's offer.

"Obviously Kathy's vision on marriage changed in this book. What made you decide to have Kathy and Andy married, Dr Brennan?" the man who was probably going to lead the meeting asked.

"Any personal experiences?" another man asked.

"No, she told me at the chat session everything in her book is fiction, nothing based on real life." the shrieking girl piped in.

"That's correct." Brennan interrupted. Everyone was suddenly silent to listen to her. "To answer the second question, no I'm not getting married myself or something. The decision to let Andy ask Kathy to marry him was actually an unconscious one. It seemed the right next step in their relationship. The decision to let Kathy agree with his proposal was a little bit more difficult. Of course, it's inevitable that a writer puts something of him- or herself in the book he or she's writing, so my recent changed view on marriage may have influenced me in deciding to let Kathy agree."

"Anyone in particular who made you change your mind?" Another man asked. Brennan turned her head to look at him. He didn't look like a stalker, but of course, how would a stalker look?

"My partner." she answered without thinking. The room immediately filled with muttering.

"The one the FBI is having in custody for multiple murder?" the girl asked.

"He's innocent. In the last few years I've worked with Agent Booth I learned a lot from him." She hesitated before continuing. "I was skeptical of many things before I met him. It is our constant bickering and arguing about those things that made me see things from another angle. One of those things I have to admit I was wrong about was the way I viewed marriage. So, I guess I can say he certainly played a part in Kathy accepting Andy's offer."

"How come you're so sure he's innocent? Everyone else seems to have abounded him." She turned her head to the other side of the room. It was the agent of Booth's hockey team, Jimmy who asked.

She smiled at him. "Not everyone." He smiled back.

"That Agent in the papers said that that agent killed those women because he is in love with you Dr Brennan. Maybe your judgment is clouded by the fact you're in love with him too." A tall dark man on the other side of the room suddenly joined the discussion. So Dasilva had smeared his little theory all over in the press. Why wasn't she surprised?

She opened her mouth but nu sound came out. Exactly like earlier this afternoon when Dasilva had asked her, she could not lie. She had lied to herself long enough. Instead she surprised anyone by saying "I suppose that's a possibility."

Again, murmurs filled the room. She looked around, looking for any clues at who looked especially angry or jealous by her statement. But somehow it seemed like every man in the room looked that way right now. She suddenly felt very uncomfortable. The rest of the meeting was back about the book and went by uneventful. She was glad when the man who had started the meeting, finally ended it.

"And of course a special thank you to Dr Brennan who was so kind to join us this evening. Don't forget to sign out everyone." The man stood and walked to a table by the door.

"Sign out?" Brennan asked Benny next to her.

"Yes, every meeting we sign a list, so Marc, the guy who organizes all of this, can see how many people there were and so on. For statistics mostly…" he explained while getting up and walking to the list. "…and for drinks." He smiled while signing out. Brennan smiled back absentmindedly, in the meanwhile taking a sneak peak at the list. The man behind the table, probably Marc, smiled when their eyes crossed each other.

"Dr Brennan." he said, holding a pen out towards her. "Would you like to sign the list too?"

"Yes thank you." she said, taking the pen and bending over the paper. "Excuse me for not filling in the address and phone number." she said, handing the pen back. "I'm a little more careful about my privacy lately."

"Of course." Marc said, not really looking offended. Seems like he was just happy to even have her name on his list.

"He'll probably frame it." she suddenly heard a voice next to her. It was Jimmy, signing out as well. She smiled as she watched him write down his address. She looked a little bit surprised when he reached into his pocket for his cell phone to fill in his phone number. He smiled. "I recently changed my number. I still have some trouble remembering it." Her eyes flashed to the hand in which he was still holding the pen before handing it back to Marc. His left. Before she could say or do anything another man joined them.

"Good to see you again Jimmy!" he said. "It's been way too long!"

"Yeah I know. Work's a bitch lately. I missed the last two sessions." he explained to Brennan. "You know how busy it can get at the office." He said smiling and shrugged. She quickly plastered a smile on her face.

"Yes, I do. Excuse me for a minute." she said, leaving the two man to talk. She tapped Marc on the shoulder and motioned him to follow her a little back further.

"What can I do for you Dr Brennan?" Okay, she had had enough of his sliming.

"Euhm well, I was wondering if I could see the lists of the previous meetings." Marc sucked in a deep breath.

"I'm sorry Dr Brennan. I'm trying to be as discreet as possible with the information on those lists. All our member's data are on those lists."

"Yes, of course. I understand." she said, her smile faltering a little bit.

"But on the other hand, it's not like you are going to misuse that information, is it?" he said.

Her smiled widened again. "Of course not." she quickly assured him. "Just curious to how many people attend these meetings."

Marc smiled back. "Well follow me, Dr Brennan." She followed him to the back of the room where he opened a thick folder. "Here you are Dr Brennan. All the lists since we started our meetings."

"Thank you." she said, smiling and sitting down. She quickly browsed through the lists, only looking at the date of the meetings.

' 02-11-2010' The day of the first murder. Triumphantically she pulled the list out. As expected, no Jimmy Lennox on the list. She continued browsing. '02-22-2010' The day of the third murder. Again, no Jimmy Lennox on the list.

Unconsciously a smile crept to her face.

Gottcha!

**Sorry for any possible mistakes people. = the cost for a quick update ;)  
**

**Please leave a review on the way out!  
**


	28. Gottcha!

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews, alerts, favorites, pm's and kind words everyone! They really mean a lot!**

_**Disclaimer**_: Still don't own Bones

**_27. Gottcha! _**

After she had thanked Marc she had searched a quiet corner from which she could call Cullen and still keep an eye on Jimmy.

"Cullen." the person on the other side of the line said curtly.

"Deputy Director Cullen. It's Dr Brennan." Better to be polite after what happened earlier.

"Dr Brennan." he greeted her not really enthusiastic. "Something says me you're not calling to apologize."

"Apologize? I made a mistake, I know that now, but I'm about to correct it."

"What do you mean by that Dr Brennan?"

"I know who did it. I know who killed those women and framed Booth."

"Oh please, not again."

"No Sir, after you left earlier this evening I accompanied Mr Bennet to a meeting of fans of my books."

"And who is it this time?"

"Agent Jimmy Lennox."

"What? Now you're really crossing the line Dr Brennan!"

"No Sir, I'm certain of it!"

"You were certain of Bennet as well! But accusing one of my agents…!"

"Booth is one of your agents!" she countered, whispering vehemently, turning around and starting to pace.

"I know that, but you losing your mind over this isn't going to help him."

"I'm not losing my mind over this. I have proof."

"O really? And what is it this time? An é-mail address on the back of his hand?"

"No. He is left handed…"

"Ow please! Is that all you got?"

" …he recently changed his phone number…"

"Not something illegal the last time I checked."

"…and he was absent on all meetings at the time of the murders. He claims to have been working."

"Yeah, that certainly proves he did it. No one could miss a meeting of your fan club without being a serial killer."

"Director Cullen…"

"That's enough Dr Brennan. I understand you want Booth out, but I advise you to go home or to your lab and remain there. Squints do not catch killers. Especially not when they're emotionally detached to a case."

And before Brennan could say anything else, Cullen hung up on her. She stared at her phone in shock. Seems like she was really on her own this time. She looked back up, only to see Jimmy was not where he had been a minute ago. Panicked she looked around.

"Damn it!" she muttered. Putting her phone into her pocket.

"Something wrong?" A voice next to her suddenly asked. She nearly dropped her phone. "Oh Jimmy, you startled me." He smiled but his eyes still held question marks.

"Another dead end on Booth's case." she explained.

"I thought you weren't on the case because of conflict of interest."

"I'm not." she explained. "I'm conducting my own investigation."

"Of course. If I can help with anything, just ask." he said reassuringly, his hand on her arm.

"Thank you." Now what? "Act vulnerable." Booth advised her in her head. She brushed her hand through her hair and put on a sad face. "It's just hard, you know? Nobody believes in him anymore. And even I…"

"It's okay Dr Brennan. It's understandable to have doubts. Especially with the evidence and all…" She nodded. "It will turn out for the best. You'll see."

She nodded again. "I just can't believe he would betray me like that. He's not like that. I mean, you know him…"

"I thought I did yes." She looked up with some faked tears in her eyes.

"Excuse me Dr Brennan, Jimmy, but they're closing up in here." Marc came over to say. Brennan nodded.

"Okay. Thanks Marc, see you next week." Jimmy answered.

"Sure. Good evening Dr Brennan." She nodded again, before looking back at Jimmy and drying her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I usually don't get so carried away." she said. "It's just been a difficult week."

"I can understand Dr Brennan. No need to apologize."

She smiled again. "It was nice talking to someone who understands for a change."

"It was my pleasure Dr Brennan." 'Come on.' she thought as she smiled one last time and hesitantly turned around. 'What is he waiting for?'

"Actually Dr Brennan, could I temp you for a coffee at my place? So we can talk a little more?"

'Bingo!' "I'd love to."

Jimmy smiled like a little kid at Christmas morning. "Okay. Are you here with your own car?"

"Yes. I'll just follow you."

"Good." he said, smiling. "I'm parked right over here.

It turned out to be a short drive. He only lived a few streets from the cultural centre. He parked his car in front of one of the older buildings. Brennan took a deep breath before getting out. Booth's voice was growling inside her head, not to go in there, to just turn around and drive away. For once that evening she didn't listen. Instead, she followed Jimmy upstairs, talking small talk.

"I'm sorry for the mess." he said as he let her in, although the place was as tidy as it could be. "I wasn't expecting visitors."

She looked around and smiled reassuringly. "It's fine."

"I'll go and get us some coffee. Please, make yourself at home." he said, walking to what she expected to be the kitchen.

For a minute she had a déjà-vu from earlier this evening at Benny's place, but she quickly brushed it off. She was right this time. She just knew it. She smiled at the thought of growing a gut herself. She put her jacket on the back of the couch, then started her investigation. The first door she opened leaded to the bathroom. She quickly scanned the room from the threshold before closing the door again. She didn't know how many time she would have before Jimmy returned, so she'd better hurry. After opening the next door she entered his bedroom. She snooped through his things, the drawers of his night table, of his closets, but came up with nothing. "Damn it!" she muttered for what seemed the millionth time that evening. Nothing! She sighed before going back to the living room, just in time to hear Jimmy ask.

"Milk or sugar?"

"A spot of milk please." she said, closing the bedroom door.

She quickly looked over her shoulder if he was still in the kitchen before she opened the last door in the room. It was the cleaning cabinet. She was about to close it, sighing disappointedly when she spotted something in the right lower corner. She pushed a broom and a mop aside, revealing a dark cloth pinned against the back. When she lifted it up her own face suddenly stared back at her. She pulled the cloth down and took a step back, shocked. Before her hang every interview she had ever given, every picture that was ever published. Even some that weren't. Some of her in front of her apartment, of her at the diner, of her at the Jeffersonian, of her on the street. And in every photograph, there was a piece missing. It took her a while to realize that that was the place Booth had supposed to be, next to her, always around. In the middle of everything hung the picture of her and Parker, and her most recent interview. A few lines were colored. She read them and everything fell into place. The journalist had commented on the fact that the relationship between Kathy and Andy had obviously changed in her latest book, and she had asked the exact same question as her fans at the Brennannites-meeting earlier, if she was inspired by someone new in her life. She had answered there was no one new. As if to the fact that Kathy and Andy's relationship had changed, she had said that change is inevitable in the world.

She had given a personal example, something her publisher had pushed her to do as much as possible. So she had told about her own change of mind, concerning children.

_I used to think it was cruel to bring children into the world we live in, with it's murders and it's crimes. Recently however I realized that although we do live in a cruel world and there are things that make it cruel, there are also things that make it wonderful place to live in. So maybe, one day, when I find someone that helps to make this place more wonderful, I'll have a child, a family of my own._

The journalist had frantically scribbled it all down with a huge smile on her face, again asking her if she had already met that wonderful person. She had answered no. Although, if she had to be completely honest with herself, she had been thinking of Booth while she had said it. A voice suddenly interrupted her musings.

"Dr Brennan?" She turned around to see Jimmy standing between the living room and the kitchen, two steaming cups of coffee in his hands. He calmly looked from her to the cabinet and the cloth in her hand, and set the cups on the coffee table. "Not exactly polite to sniff in other people's things while they're not here Dr Brennan." he said as he walked towards her.

"Well, maybe you should have hid it better." she said, her face a mask of anger.

He smiled. "Yes. But like I said. I wasn't expecting visitors."

"Why?"

"'cause I love you Temperance. And I had to let you see that that special person you were talking about in the article wasn't…him."

"Him? Booth? I wasn't…"

"Don't lie to me Temperance. Do you think I don't notice how you look at him, how he looks at you? At the office, at the Jeffersonian, at the diner, at the Founding Fathers,… At your place. At his. Do you think I didn't notice? Everyone noticed. You come to all our hockey matches but you only have eyes for him. How many times have I just run into you at the office or after the match or somewhere else. You didn't even notice or recognize me at your signings. You only had eyes for him. Even now he is in jail for murder, you still look at him that way. When you came to ask me the first day how he was doing you still looked that way. But not at me. Never at me."

Brennan just looked at him, pitiful. "I would like to say I'm sorry, but after everything you've done, I can't get it over my lips."

"But I am sorry Temperance. I'm sorry for this." He said as he launched himself forward, towards her. But she had anticipated this, so she just stepped aside and kicked him in the testicles.

"I'm not." she said as she walked towards him. But he was not an FBI-agent for nothing. He regained and got up a lot sooner then she expected and hit her down.

"That wasn't very nice." he said, but before he could launch another hit, she kicked his feet from underneath him, taking down a vase in the progress. As he lie down she quickly rolled him on his stomach, and pulled his arms behind his back.

At that exact same moment Jimmy's front door came down with a loud thud, several FBI-agents once again circling the room. One of them stormed to the middle of the living room, to Brennan and Jimmy and cuffed him. He harshly pulled him up, almost causing his shoulder to pop out of his hinge.

"I did this for us Temperance." Jimmy screamed while they took him away. "For us! Think about that!"

She took a step closer so she was eye to eye with the man that almost destroyed her life. There was nothing more then hatred in her eyes. "I've got something for you to think about. If it wasn't for you and you framing Booth, I would never have realized how I feel about him. You think about that." She hissed before walking towards Cullen in the middle of the living room.

"I really did not expect you this time." She said.

"I know. But I didn't feel completely comfortable after our last conversation, so I did some digging. Lennox wasn't working on anything at the time of those murders. And when I went to check his desk I found some photos taped underneath it."

"What kind of photos?"

"That kind of photos." Cullen said, nodding to the inside of the closet behind her. "It disgusts me that one of my own men would kill those women and frame a co-worker for it!" Cullen said, actually spitting at the carpet while his men dragged Lennox out. Seemed like he would get the special treatment Booth had gotten until now. "Seems like I was wrong. You did catch the killer this time." Cullen suddenly said, extending his hand. "Good job Dr Brennan."

Brennan smiled while shaking his hand. "Thank you Sir. I learned from the best."

Cullen smiled. Brennan had never seen him smile before. "You sure did. Now let's get your partner out, shall we?"

That sounded like music to her ears.

**Doesn't it? :)**

**So people, this was the last chapter without Booth, something a lot of people were really looking forward to, as I remember well... :)**

**Does anyone remember Jimmy? (hint: chapter 6) I admit, I wrote him in afterwards so I could tell you I didn't just pull a suspect out of thin air... which I did, but that's not the point ;)**

**Thanks for reading people, please leave a review!**


	29. Interrogation II

**A/N: Thank you for all the new (and old of course!) favorites, alerts and especially reviews! They're my fuel!**

**_28. Interrogation_**

Booth had been sleeping in his cell when they had come for him. At least he had been lying down with his eyes closed, just like the rest of the nights he had spent here. He had no idea why they had suddenly decided to escort him back into an interrogation room. At first he had thought it to be one of Dasilva's new interrogation techniques, to wear his victims out before interrogating them. But for some unexplainable reason, they had taken his cuffs off along the way and they had actually _asked _him to sit down and wait for a minute. So here he was, wondering what was going on when Cullen suddenly entered the room.

"Sir?" he asked, standing up. Cullen just smiled and slapped him on the shoulder. "It's over Booth. We've got him."  
"Wait…what?" Booth asked, confused. Cullen just motioned for the hall. Hesitating Booth took a few steps towards the door, quickly followed by Cullen.  
"In here." the last one said when they passed another interrogation room.  
"Bones?" Booth said surprised when he entered the room. "What's going on?" She just smiled. Still confused Booth looked back at Cullen. He was still smiling and gestured towards the one way mirror."Jimmy?" Booth asked bewildered when he recognized the man on the other side. "No way. Sir, there has to be a misunderstanding. There is no way…"But Cullen cut him off by a single movement of his hand. "Just listen."Confused, Booth looked back at Brennan, who was still smiling at him. He went to stand beside her, their hands at their sides touching. They turned back to the mirror.

Sully was leading this interview now, Dasilva sitting beside him.

"_So Jimmy, I guess you know why you're here." Lennox looked up for a moment, then stared back at his hands. "Well, I guess you do. Because, you see, we don't really need a confession anymore. We have enough evidence to put you away for the rest of your live. This is just…to flourish my file, to ease my curiosity." Lennox still didn't react. Sully sighed. "Well, we all know you have a thing for Dr Brennan." He said, putting some of the self-made pictures of the closet in front of him. "Not for Agent Booth though." he said, pointing to the part that was cut off. "Probably the reason why you tried to nail him for the murders you committed. Two for one week on framing other agents, is it?" Sully paused. "Anything in particular you don't like about him? I mean, I don't see it. He's a good agent. A good man." Now that was the trigger. Jimmy's head shot up. "Oh shut up. We all know you don't think of him that way." Sully leaned back in his chair. "And why would you think that?" He asked. "Come on, she ditched you for him. Don't you see the way they act around each other? How they look at each other? The way he always touches her?" "Yeah I noticed. It's hard not to when two people are so obviously in love with each other. But I accepted it. I accepted the fact that she loves him more then she could ever love me. But you just couldn't do that, now could you?" Lennox didn't answer, instead he stared back at his hands. "No, it pissed you off. It pissed you off that she chose Booth. That Booth could have what you could only dream of. It pissed you off. It made you angry. Not just at Booth. But at her too…at Dr Brennan. She had chosen him over you after all." "She shouldn't be with him! We all know about his past, what he did in the army. I mean just look at him. He's the killer, not me." _

Booth's jaw clenched, Brennan would've busted into the interrogation room if Cullen hadn't stopped her. "He has him. Sully has him." he reassured her. Brennan took her place beside Booth again, now taking his hand, squeezing it.

_Sully got up and started to roll the sleeves of his shirt up. "Is that what you tell yourself? To be able to look at yourself in the mirror in the morning?" Suddenly Sully opened the folder that was lying on the table. "April Wright. 32." he said, sliding the first picture across the table towards Lennox. He did not look up. "Anna Turner. 34" Another picture, this time Sully slid it right under Lennox' nose. "Nadia Dixon. 30." The last picture made his way across the table. "Agent Booth served his country. He protected the people in it. You killed them." And suddenly Lennox seemed to snap. "I killed those women because I loved her." He screamed. "I would've made a great husband to her. I would've been a great father to her children. But she betrayed me with that so called hero of you. Just like she betrayed me tonight. I thought she had finally seen it. Seen that I was the right man for her. But she was just there to betray me, to find prove that her partner was innocent." "So you tried to kill her. You tried to kill the real thing this time." _

Booth's head shot into Brennan's direction. She just kept staring at the man on the other side of the one way mirror.

_He just smiled. "I should've known she would be to strong for me. But I had to try. I had to make her see." Sully shook his head, disgusted, and stood. "Well I hope you've memorized her face when she took you down Jimmy, 'cause face it. I'm putting you away for a very, very long time._

Sully stepped in the room on the other side of the mirror. "Good job Sullivan." Cullen said, shaking Sully's hand.  
"Thanks Sir." Booth stepped beside Brennan and shook Sully's hand too.  
"Yeah, thanks Sully."  
Sully nodded. "Don't thank me. Thank her." he said, nodding his head in Brennan's direction. "She got you out. Not me. Sorry I doubted you."  
Booth shook his head. "I would've done the same thing, if things had been the other way around."  
Sully smiled. "No you wouldn't." Booth smiled too.  
At that time Dasilva walked in. "Agent Booth." he said, extending his hand. "I'm glad to see you as free man again. I'm sorry for the things I've said. It was in the heat of the investigation. I'm sure you'll understand." Brennan's face hardened. Yeah right. "And I'm sure now this is all over we can put this all behind us and move on as colleagues."  
Booth forced out a smile, shaking Dasilva's hand. "Of course." He did not let go of Dasilva's hand. "But, as a colleague I feel it my duty to tell you something."  
"Shoot." Dasilva said smiling.  
"Get another job. 'cause you were right. You don't have my solve rate, and you never will." Dasilva's smile faltered but Booth still didn't let go. "And if you ever talk to my partner like that again, I _will _be a threat to you.".  
Brennan smiled and followed Booth to the door, shooting Dasilva a meaningful glare. He could just move to some podunk place in Alaska, for all she cared. Booth winked at Sully, who had trouble keeping his laugh with the obviously scared Dasilva, and opened the door.

Immediately an applause burst out. A small crowd was waiting for Booth in the hallway, congratulating him, clapping him on the shoulders. Brennan stood at his side the entire time, smiling from ear to ear. It took a while before the people started to disappear back into their offices, leaving Booth, Brennan and Cullen alone in the hallway.  
"I can't tell you how glad I am to have you back Booth." Cullen said, clapping Booth's shoulder again.  
"Thank you Sir." Booth said.  
"And you have Dr Brennan to thank for that. Did she tell you she tried to blackmail me?"  
"Euhm…Yeah, she mentioned that." Booth said laughing.  
"Mm… You're lucky to have her as a partner Booth. Not a thing in my mind would cause me to break the two of you up."  
Booth smiled as he heard that. "Actually Sir, I'm glad to hear that…" Booth said, but Cullen cut him off.  
"Now don't go using that against me." he warned.  
Booth just smiled. "I'm not Sir. I'm just saying I'm taking the next week off. I need some personal time with my girlfriend after all of this." As he said that he put his arm meaningfully over Brennan's shoulders, and he was only glad she put hers around his waist. He hadn't been really sure of how Bones would react to him calling her his girlfriend until now… especially towards his boss.

Cullen just stared at them as they turned, with a stunned expression on his face. Not about the fact they were together. You had to be blind to not have seen that one coming. Just about the fact they had both admitted it. "You're going to regret that when you get back." Brennan whispered in Booth's ear. Booth smiled and pulled her even closer while whispering. "Than…Let's not come back."  
And for once, she didn't argue.

**Did anyone just have a major déja-vu with the interrogation?:)**

**Okay, and tell me, how happy is everyone that Booths is back and our favorite couple is reunited?**

**Tell me in a review!**

**( mendenbar: send DaSilva to some podunk place in Alaska... CHECK! ;))**


	30. Good news

**A/N: Hi everyone! Thank you so much for all the reviews! They made my day! Sorry I haven't replied yet, but I figured you'd prefer an update, even if it's only a very short one. More to come, I promise, but I've got my Latin exam tomorrow and well, I'm no great philosopher in Dutch, but even less in Latin!**

**Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing... and wish me luck!**

**Here we go =**

**_29. Good news_**

They were driving to the lab, to tell their team the good news in person. She had happily given him her key. She didn't want to argue about driving today. Her hand was lying on his on the gear-shift. They were silent during the drive, even with all the things they wanted to say, they needed to say to each other, they just kept silent and enjoyed each others presence. When they pulled up in front of the Jeffersonian they looked at each other, smiled and got out.

"Booth!" Angela shrieked as they entered the medico-legal lab, throwing her arms around him. "I'm so glad you're back!"

"Me too Ange." Booth said, hugging her back.

"Hoho Booth!" Hodgins bellowed, coming from his station to hug Booth too. "You're out!"

Booth laughed. "I'm out."

"How come you're out?" Hodgins asked confused.

In the meanwhile Brennan had moved closer to Booth, grabbing his hand without thinking. It was like a new reflex.

"Bones found some evidence that led her to the real killer, and here I am." he said, beaming down at her.

"Zack helped." Brennan said.

"He did?" Booth asked. Brennan nodded, their eyes locking.

Another shriek, and before they knew Angela was hugging them both.

"O My God! I'm so happy for you guys!"

Hodgins grinned. "Congrats G-man. Dr B. It's about time."

"Angela, Hodgins, what's all that noise about?" Cam asked, coming out of her office, Wendell behind her. When she saw Booth she smiled. "Welcome back stranger." she said, going over to hug him. Booth hugged her back, but did not let go of Bones hand. Cam stepped back and noticed. She smiled. "And I see congratulations are in order." Booth just grinned, and Brennan, did she just blush?

"Good to have you back Agent Booth." Wendell said, shaking Booth's hand.

Booth smiled. "Thanks Wendell."

"And I'm really glad for you guys."

Now Brennan smiled. "Thank you Wendell."

"So…?" Angela said. "Are we going to celebrate this or what?"

"Yeah!" everyone quickly agreed.

"Okay." Booth said "But we have to call Max and Caroline too. Bones told me they helped her to get me out."

"They did." Brennan agreed.

Booth smiled down at her.

"So, the diner?" Hodgins asked. "

Brennan and Booth smiled, their eyes locking once more. "Yeah, the diner."


	31. Diner

**A/N: Again, a big thank you to everyone who alerted, favorited and reviewed this story (especially to those I can't send a reply!). I would have never finished this if it weren't for you! Don't worry, it's not the end yet! I think there's still room for 4 chapters or so! ;) **

**Disclaimer**: even while I haven't said it in a while, I don't own Bones. Sure, rub it in!

**_30. Diner_**

They had hold hands the entire drive to the diner, and they still were when they arrived. It did not go unnoticed by Angela, who had a big smile plastered all over her face. It was as if they were afraid that if they let go, someone would break them apart again. They could not go back to that anymore.

They sat at their usual booth, which was a little cramped with everyone there, but it worked. They were just eating and laughing when they heard the door open and Sweets entered. Booth looked up and his face hardened.

He stood, muttering "That kid's got nerve."

Brennan followed his gaze, then stood beside him. "As a matter of fact he does." she stated. "But not in this case. I invited him."

His eyes shot to her, confused.

"Seems we both jumped to conclusions this time. Sweets didn't just give your file to Dasilva. And he certainly did not provide him with that theory of his. As a matter of fact he was quite mad when he found out Dasilva was using his findings against you." she explained, still a hint of surprise in her voice.

They met Sweets at the counter. He was nervous, even Brennan could tell.

"Booth. Dr Brennan." he greeted them. "I…"

"Want some pie Sweets?" Booth cut his apology off mid-sentence, already waving for a waitress.

Sweets smiled. "I'd love some. Thanks Booth." he said while he looked Booth into the eyes and Booth knew it was for more than just the pie.

"Sure Sweets." he said as Brennan put an arm around his waist, and his arm went around her shoulders. Sweets' mouth popped open.

"Now don't go all psychologist on us Sweets." Brennan warned him again.

Sweets just smiled "I won't." he reassured her. "I'm just very happy for you guys."

"Thanks Sweets." Booth said, and now Sweets knew it was for more than just the compliment.

"Sure." he replied "Actually I have something for you." he said while he put a book on the counter.

Booth picked it up. "You finally published it?" he asked while he showed Brennan the book Sweets wrote about them.

"Yes." Sweets answered. "I decided to do so after my last encounter with Dr Brennan. I knew I had to make a choice back then." As he said this he looked straight at Brennan and she smiled. "You'll understand my hesitation to publish it when you come to my conclusion."

"How do you mean?" Brennan asked alarmed, while trying to get the book from Booth. He held it out of her reach.

"Calm down Bones. I'm sure it isn't anything bad. Otherwise Sweets would've never published it. Isn't that right Sweets?" In his words lay trust but also warning.

"Of course not." The kid-psychologist paused. "I think it's something wonderful." He smiled.

That being said, pie got served and they joined the team again, still holding on to each other.

**C'mon people! Can we still reach those 200 reviews? ;) Just tell me what you think.**


	32. Visit II

**A/N **

**Hi everyone!**

**Sorry I haven't updated earlier, especially after all those amazing reviews! Thank you so much! I was really blown away! The best birthday present ever!**

**Yup that's right, it was my 18th birthday last week! So one week after my last update I've finished my final exams, I'm 18 and graduated! I know, still can't believe it myself!**

**Anyway, enough of my rambling, thanks again for all the amazing reviews, and here we go!**

_31. Visit_

After a little hour Booth pulled Brennan with him to the counter.

"There's still someone I need to thank." he said. "Someone that couldn't be here."

Brennan smiled and handed him her keys. "Don't stay too long." she whispered.

He smiled and squeezed her hand, their eyes locking once more. "I won't."

They let go of each other's hands for the first time that evening and Brennan felt herself missing his touch. She went back to sit with their friends and colleagues. "There was something he had to do." she explained. Angela looked questioningly at her but she just smiled and took a zip of her coffee.

In the meanwhile Booth was just sitting in her car, looking at the building in front of him. He was dreading it and he knew it. But he wasn't sure whether he wanted to hear what was about to be said. He sighed once more, opened the door and got out.

Minutes later he found himself in a typical visiting room. Grey walls, steel chairs and tables, pinned to the ground. He sighed uncomfortably. This was it.

"Agent Booth." he heard him say. Booth looked up at the strangest, most intelligent kid he had ever known.

"Hey Zack."

"So I see Dr Brennan was right. She did get you out."

Booth nodded. "Yeah, and she told me you played a big part in that one. Thanks." he didn't look at him.

"You're welcome." It was silent for a while. Someone else might have tried to converse by small talk, but not Zack. So they just sat there in silence.

"You never wondered why I was the only one who didn't come to see you?" Booth suddenly asked. Zack looked surprised. Whatever he had expected, this had not been it.

"I…No. I guessed you felt to betrayed to see me as a friend again. And I could understand that. You don't owe me anything Agent Booth. Not even now. You don't have to be here."

"Betrayed? No. Or yeah, of course I felt betrayed, you betrayed all of us, we trusted you."

Zack flinched. "I know."

"But…that wasn't the reason I didn't come to see you. I…" Booth sighed. "I guess I felt guilty."

"Guilty?" Zack asked bewildered.

"Yeah. For letting you go. For letting you ship off to Iraq. All of this mess wouldn't have happened if I hadn't let you go."

"No!" Zack said determined. Booth looked up. "No. This isn't your fault. I know you easily take the blame for everything bad that happens in your surroundings, Agent Booth, but I will not let you take the blame for my mistakes." Zack paused a minute after this. "Iraq wasn't my best decision. But it didn't traumatize me into… into the things I did. And even if it had, it was my decision."

"I could've stopped you. I could've told you not to go."

"Yes. And I would've met Gormogon a few months earlier. It wouldn't have changed a thing." Booth didn't look persuaded. "I was tricked by my own logic. There was a flaw in my reasoning. I see that now. I was mistaken. But that reasoning had nothing to do with me going to Iraq." Another pause. " If you really want to blame someone else, blame my professors at the university. They taught me logic. Otherwise, just blame me."

Booth smiled. "We miss you Zack." he said reluctantly.

Zack swallowed. "I find myself missing you guys too."

Booth smiled. "I've got something for you." he said, taking something out of his pocket and giving it to Zack.

"It's the harmonica you gave me when I shipped off." Zack said, looking at Booth.

He shrugged. "Maybe it'll bring you better luck this time."

"Thank you Agent Booth." Zack said, genuinely looking the man he had always admired in the eye.

Booth smiled, stood and clapped the young squint on the shoulder, remembering Bones asking him to do so once. According to her it was a way of showing your approval or something. "Anytime Zack, anytime."

**Did anyone ask for Zack? ;)**

**C'mon people, we haven't reached our 600 yet ;)**

**Only a few more…please *puppy look* pretty please!**


	33. Happy together

**A/N Again, thank you for all the reviews and the best wishes! Also a big thank you to mendenbar who noticed some mistakes in the previous chapter and allowed me to correct them. Really people, I don't mind! The only way for me to learn is for you to tell me! So call it when you see them! ;)**

**In the beginning of this story I promised some good old B&B fluff. Well, I tried to write some, but it actually is harder than it looks when you read it! At least, for me it is. Really, respect for the ones who write it all the time! Anyway, let me know what you think. **

_32. Happy together_

When Booth came back to the diner, only Bones, Angela and Hodgins were left. Brennan smiled as he entered. Angela looked around and when she saw Booth, nudged Hodgins to get up.

"That's our cue to leave." she said, hugging her best friend. "See you!" she said as they passed Booth, eyeing him meaningfully. Booth laughed and sat down on his usual spot, facing Brennan. She smiled and grabbed his hand over the table. He smiled back at her.

"How did it go?" she asked.

"Good." he said.

"Good." she replied.

"Let's go home Bones." he said, taking her hand and guiding her to her car. The waitress just stared after them. So those two had finally ended up together. About time, she thought as she turned back to her work. About time they saw what was right in front of their nose.

He drove to her apartment on automatic pilot. It was only when he had parked the car and killed the engine he realised he was not with his car tonight. He should've driven to his place first, so she could've dropped him off. He hesitated. He didn't want to scare her off, or push her.

But she just smiled, and got out. He followed her example and when he was out she immediately took his hand. He smiled. This was getting addictive. He could get used to this. The tension that hung between them was silent torture. Once they reached her apartment she opened the door and got in, flicking on the lights.

As soon as he had followed her, closed the door and turned, her arms flew around his neck, her lips crushing his. He reacted immediately, allowing her entrance. Their tongues started to dance on their own accords. It was a passionate, heated kiss. The result of years built-up tension. She unzipped his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders. His hands were tangled in her hair. Her hands moved underneath his shirt, but soon his hands were on hers, stopping her. She broke the kiss, eyes full of hurt, rejection, confusion. He smiled, rubbing her cheek and swollen lips with his thumb.

"I don't want to rush this." he said. "This means a lot to me Bones, so I don't want to mess this up."

Her eyes softened. "Me neither." she whispered. He smiled, leaned in and kissed her again. A tender, sweet and soft kiss this time. When they broke apart, their foreheads rested against each other for a while, before he sighed.

"I'll just call a cab and see you tomorrow Bones." He said. Even he heard the reluctance to leave in his voice. She grabbed his hand.

"You don't have to…" she said, her eyes finding his.

"Bones." he sighed. Like he didn't have to use every ounce of his self control already.

"Just sleep Booth." He sighed again and smiled. She knew she had won this one, and she just pulled him to her bedroom. They kissed again, her hands travelling over his chest, under his shirt. She took it off. Booth groaned.

"Go Bones." he said, pushing her to the bathroom. "Or I'm gonna need a cold shower."

She smiled. "Or you could…"

"Go." he laughed, kissing her again, before pushing her into the bathroom. Jeez. That woman was going to be the end of him. But who was he trying to kid, what did he care? He smiled as he sat down on the bed, put his pants, socks and shoes of, noticing two familiar frames on the bedside table. One was empty, but he knew all too well which picture belonged in there. He smiled as he took the other one, the one of Bones and Parker. He heard the bathroom door open, but he didn't look up. He heard her climbing onto the bed behind him, putting her arms around him and looking at the picture.

"I should probably give those back to you now."

He smiled. "Yeah, stealing is a crime you know."

He felt her breath in his neck as she smiled. "Good my boyfriend works at the FBI then. He'll bust me out."

Booth smiled and turned around, catching her lips in a little kiss. Only then he noticed she was wearing nothing but the shirt he had just been wearing and a very small pair of shorts. He realised he was staring at her, but he just couldn't help it.

"What?" she asked, almost sounding insecure.

"You look…you are beautiful Bones." he just said. She smiled, pulled him down beside her and snuggled into his chest. He buried his noise into her hair, filling it with that intoxicating scent of hers. They just lay there for a while. Brennan smiled. Angela had been right. She did know what to do. Everything was just so natural around Booth.

"I love you." she suddenly said. Booth thought his heart was going to stop. It was one thing to have the word 'love' written down on the back of a photograph in her handwriting, it was another thing to hear it, coming from her mouth, concerning him.

He smiled happily. "I love you too Bones." he said. "God, I love you so much."

She smiled too. It was silent for a while, until she suddenly broke it again.

"For how long?"

"Mm?" He was in his happy place, so thinking wasn't on his list of priorities right now.

"Angela said you have loved me for years, but you didn't want to scare me away."

Booth's eyes opened. "Angela is a very smart woman. I don't know for how long Bones, three, maybe four?"

"That long?" she asked as she looked up.

He smiled. "I guess you slowly crept up on me." Brennan smiled too, snuggling back into his chest.

"What are we going to do Booth?" she asked.

"The same we always do." he answered simply. "Catch the bad guys, put them away, and when we've done that, at the end of the day, we come home to each other."

It was silent for a minute before Brennan whispered. "I like that thought."

Booth smiled and pulled her even closer. "Me too Bones, me too."


	34. Cuddling

**A/N: Hi everyone! Sorry I haven't updated earlier, but I was at Rock Werchter, a summer rock festival in Belgium for five days. It was, like every year, amazing, but extremely tiring...and hot! Anyway, I'm back now and I survived! ;)**

**I haven't had the time to reply to the people who were so kind to leave me a review yet, but I promise, I'll come to it. I just thought you'd prefer an update first. ;) **

**Btw, this is the one before last chapter, so the story is now really coming to an end. Damn, that's weird! **

**Anyway, enjoy my second attempt at fluff!**

_33. Cuddling_

The first thing she noticed when she woke up was the presence of a familiar smell, though not familiar while waking up. That fact made it all the more appealing. When her body slowly regained consciousness she felt his hot skin against her cheek, his strong arms around her waist. She smiled and without opening her eyes she cuddled deeper into his chest. And then his voice, his warm breath into her ear.

"Good morning." She mumbled something in his chest, but all he felt was a tickling feeling of her breath at his chest.

He laughed. "What was that?"

She pulled back a little so she could look him in the eye.

"I don't want to wake up." she mumbled again, before snuggling back into his chest, which trembled with laughter.

"And why is that Bones?" he asked.

"'cause I don't want this to be a dream." she mumbled, so silent he almost missed it.

He smiled as he bent down, lifting her chin up with his index finger and touching her lips with his own. She quickly responded and when he pulled back her blue cobalt eyes were staring back at him. "You're awake, and I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere Bones." he said, his eyes staring sincerely into hers.

"I know." she whispered as she closed her eyes again and cuddled back against his bare chest. "I just seem to forget sometimes." He smiled as he put his arms around her and pulled her even closer, his nose nuzzling in her hair.

"That's okay. I'll make you remember." He could feel her smile as well.

"And how are you planning on doing that?" she asked, turning her head into his direction but still letting it rest against his chest.

"Well," he said as his hand ran up and down her back, sending shivers through her spine. "I've got a few ideas."

She smiled again as she looked up at him. "Care to share?" she whispered huskily. He grinned at her and leaned in for another kiss when suddenly a shrill sound echoed through the room. Brennan groaned as she turned and reached for her alarm. She lay on her back for a while, then sighed as she threw the sheets off her.

"Hey!" Booth exclaimed as she was making her way out off bed. "Where do you think you're going?" he asked as he grabbed her around her waist and pulled her back onto the bed. She laughed as he pulled her down.

"Boooth." she whined though she could not hide her smile. "I've got to go to work." she said.

"No you don't. Didn't you hear me yesterday? We're taking the week off."

"No. You told Cullen you were taking the week off. I never said I was taking a leave." She explained though she didn't try to get up anymore.

"No Bones," Booth said as he absentmindedly ran his finger up and down her arm. "See, if you would have listened to me, you would have heard I said I was taking the week off to spend some time with my girlfriend. So I talked to Cam yesterday…"

"You did what?" She asked, suddenly shooting up into a sitting position, turning her head so she was facing him now.

He immediately realized his mistake "Look Bones, I know I probably shouldn't have done that,…"

"No, you shouldn't have…"

"…but you need this week off as much as I do. You are exhausted Bones. Really, how much did you sleep this last week?"

"That doesn't matter. If I need a week off I should be the one talking to Cam and asking her. Me, not you."

"I know Bones." He said, looking her in the eye, showing her he really meant it. "I'm sorry, I just…" he sighed. "…I guess I just wanted a quiet week with you, without work and things, and…"

"I know Booth. That's why I was going to the office: to tell Cam I'm taking the week off."

Boot's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You were?" he asked.

"Yes Booth, I was."

His smiled widened. Looks like she was as reluctant to leave him as he was for her to leave. Now he was sure this was what she had wanted all along, he was prepared for her entire I-am-a-grown-woman-and-I-can-make-my-own-decisions-speech, and was even more surprised when she just pulled the sheets back over the both of them and cuddled back into his chest.

"I love you Bones. I'm sorry."

She took a deep breath before she answered. "It's fine Booth. It's just…I didn't have anyone to call in for me, or anything like that for a very long time. You just need to give me some time to adjust to the fact I have you know." Booth was even more taken aback by this statement then by anything else she had said earlier. Dr Temperance Brennan, the super-independent scientist was letting go, sharing the control over her life.

"You've had me for a very long time Bones." he whispered.

She nodded against him. "I know that now. I just didn't realize it at the time." She paused for a while, but when she cuddled in a little deeper she whispered. " And I love you too Booth." He smiled at these easily addictive words. And then he actually laughed. "What?" she asked, lifting her head up and looking at his smiling face.

"Nothing Bones. I just never thought you to be the cuddling type." He said.

"I'm not!" she tried to defend herself, but her body gave her away as she nestled herself back against his chest.

"If you say so." he said, putting his arms around her. "I like it." He whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling in her neck.

"Good." she said, bringing her hand up to rest at his chest as well. "'cause I'm not letting go anymore."

**Tadaa! Sorry for any possible spelling mistakes or mixed up sentences. I'm so exhausted I can't even speak an entire sentence in Dutch anymore. Anyway, you know the best way to wake up? (apart from having Booth's arms around you!) The 'you have mail' sound whenever I get a review! So if you want me to wake up before september ends, to post the last chapter... ;)  
**


	35. Happily ever after

**A/N **

**Hi everyone! **

**I apologize for the wait, but I guess I was dreading the end a little bit. It's really the last chapter of my first story you know… (and it's a short one, I know)  
**

**Anyway, before I continue I would like to thank Saorsa, Lola Bunny No. 1., Mendenbar and anybody else who gave me the opportunity to learn and improve my English by correcting my mistakes. Also a big thank you to the enormous amount of people who put this story on alert, or favorited it, and put up with my irregular updates. And of course everyone who took the time to review! Thank you very much for all the constructive criticism and nice words! I know it's cliché, but reviews really keep a writer going! -and I've reached my 200 reviews! Thanks everyone!-**

**But the ones I really want to thank are all of you readers! Thank you so much for joining me on this ride! I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have, and next time any of you are in Belgium; free beer on me! ;)**

**greetz**

**Sara**

_34. Happily ever after_

Sixteen months later

Silently, Booth stared down at the pregnant woman in front of him. How could anyone do this? How could they do his? He asked himself in wonder. She was so beautiful.

"You're staring again." a soft voice said after a while. He smiled and looked up.

"Morning Bones." he said as he put a soft kiss on her lips.

"Ouch." She said as her hand moved to her lower abdomen.

"Someone's awake." Booth smiled, bent down, and pulled the hem of her shirt away. He kissed her rounded belly and said "Good morning beautiful baby. Be easy on your mom huh!"

Brennan laughed. "You know he or she can't understand anything you just said, don't you?"

"No Bones, our baby knows exactly what I just said. He isn't kicking anymore, is he?" Booth smiled his crooked smiled and she couldn't resist. So she smiled back.

"Whatever." She looked at the clock at his side of the bed. "You should get to work." she said reluctantly.

He smiled, feeling the exact same way as she did. Even after sixteen months the tension between them hadn't decreased. He kissed her again, then reluctantly pulled back and got up. "Shall I take you to Max' or something?" he asked, entering the bathroom.

"No." she called back, getting up as well. "I think I'll just stay home today." she hobbled her way to the nursery.

"You're sure?" he asked, coming back into the bedroom, buttoning his shirt.

"Yeah." Another cramp shot through her, stretching her answer.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried, by her side in a minute.

"Yeah." she smiled, breathing heavenly. "Yeah…Just a cramp."

"You're sure?" he asked again.

"Yeah I'm sure Seeley." she said, squeezing his hand. Assured he went back into the bedroom and started tying his shoes. Another cramp and a weird sensation went through Brennan as she tried to follow him. Ow shit."Booth!" she called back.

"Yeah!" he was back beside her in a second.

"I really think we should paint the nursery." she said. Booth smiled, the worried expression fading from his face.

"Bones." he said as he pulled her into his arms and put a kiss on the top of her head. "We already talked about this. I know you want to do it yourself, but those chemicals are just not good for you nor our baby. Besides, Angela and Jack promised to help me paint while you're in the hospital. Everything will be ready in time, I promise."

"Well, then you'd better go and get the paint, because I think my water just broke. I'm going in labour."

**I don't need to write the rest of this, do I? Brennan gives birth to a beautiful baby boy, Angela becomes Godmother, Brennan marries Booth, they have a daughter, and they live happily ever after.**

**The end.**


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